This Magic Can Break Us
by StarsandGalaxies
Summary: Isabelle Lightwood expected her 5th year at Hogwarts to be normal. However, when an accusation against her family throws everything into question and brings up a dark past, her year gets turned upside down. Isabelle is determined to get to the bottom of the accusations, all while dealing with her O.W.L.s, new friendships, and her brother's strange behavior. Hogwarts!AU
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own **__The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, __**or **__Harry_ _Potter,_ _**or any of the characters and worlds within their books. All belongs to J.K. Rowling and Cassandra Clare respectively. **_

_**Also, a huge thanks to my beta, Mandy. Without her and our late night conversations about this fic, this would not nearly as fleshed out as it currently is. Thank you.**_

_**-If you are wondering why this fic may see familiar to you, please read my profile. It explains everything. **_

* * *

"Oh, it feels so good to be going back to Hogwarts." Isabelle Lightwood sighed, sinking into a seat on the Hogwarts Express.

"Please," Jace Wayland, her adoptive brother, scoffed, "You're just excited to have boys trailing after you again."

"Wait, weren't you the one who was complaining about the lack of girls in our village?" Alec Lightwood questioned, taking a seat next to Jace. Isabelle shot her brother a glance, noticing his cool tone, but Alec refused to meet her eyes.

Jace ignored Alec's comment, "Why are you so excited, Iz? 5th year is hell. All the teachers assign a crazy amount of homework, trying to stress you out for your O.W.L.s."

"Yeah, but I can actually use magic. I've been waiting for the past 3 months for this day!"

"Izzy, you sounds like a first year." Alec teased.

"Says the boy who's been using magic constantly since he turned 17!"

"She has a point, you know." Jace agreed solemnly.

Isabelle settled back into her seat with a grin and let Alec and Jace's conversation drift over her. As much as she loved her parents and younger brother, going back to Hogwarts was a relief. Though she had missed being able to use magic, it wasn't why she was so relieved to be going back. The summer had taken its toll on the Lightwood family. Alec had become increasingly more moody and withdrawn while Jace had been spending less time in the house and more time in their village. Even her parents had seemed tense. Only Max, who was 9, seemed normal, constantly gabbering on about some book he was reading or his excitement to start Hogwarts in a few years. Isabelle hoped that things would be settled by the time Christmas holiday came around.

"I do wonder, though, who the new Potions Professor will be." Jace was saying to Alec when Isabelle tuned back into the conversation.

"Wait, Professor Nightshade isn't teaching anymore?" Isabelle interjected. While other subjects such as Transfiguration or Charms came easily to her, Potions was a class Isabelle constantly struggled with. Her first few weeks at Hogwarts, Isabelle had struggled with even the most basic potions. Professor Nightshade had taken pity on the first year and spent two nights a week giving her extra extra. Those lessons were the only reason Isabelle had passed the last 4 years of Potions.

"Izzy, that was announced at the end of the year feast, last term." Alec said, giving her an incredulous look, "Did you really not hear Headmaster Branwell's speech about it?"

She shrugged, "Guess not. I think Aline and I were planning an end of the year celebration during Branwell's speech."

"Ah, I remember that party!" Jace smirked, "Kaelie and I got to know each other _very_ well."

"Gross, I did not want to know that," Isabelle grimaced, "So, have you heard any rumors about who it might be? Or what they'll be like?"

" No. But, Headmaster Branwell wouldn't pick a _bad _teacher." Alec mused.

"I guess we'll just have to see."

* * *

Simon Lewis sat back in his seat, popping a Bertie Botts bean in his mouth, listening to his best friend, Clary Fray, list all the things that she was excited about for this year. He knew Clary felt much more comfortable at Hogwarts than she did at home. As much as she loved her mother, Simon knew that she was happier when she was learning about magic and how to wield her powers.

"Clary," he interrupted, "Is there anything you're not excited for?"

She thought for a moment, her green eyes shining, "Maybe the O.W.L.s? But, even that sounds more exciting than muggle exams."

Simon gazed at Clary while she continued on about what she hoped would happen this year. The two of them had lived in the same muggle town and have been friends for as long he could remember. Over the years, Simon became more and more aware of how his heart pounded every time he saw her and how Clary seemed to get more beautiful with each passing day. When he received his Hogwarts letter, the first thing he felt after joy was disappointment- Clary wouldn't be able to come with him, and he'd be resigned to seeing her solely in the summer and during holidays. His fear was short lived though, as Clary came running down their street, Hogwarts letter in hand, not ten minutes later. Despite being sorted into different Houses, the two remained the best of friends and Simon's feelings still grew. But he had a plan. This was the year he was going to tell her of his feelings...eventually.

"Simon?" Clary looked at him, her eyes brimming with concern, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry." He said giving her a reassuring smile, "I must have spaced out. What were you saying?"

"I was saying how-" Clary became distracted by something outside of their compartment. Or rather, someone, Simon noted when he followed her gaze. Jace Wayland had walked by, listening to something Kaelie Fey was animatedly saying. Simon glanced back at Clary and scowled at admiration on her face. Jace was a year older than them and had fascinated Clary since her first year. She claimed that she only was interested in him for 'artistic purposes'- because she thought he'd be a challenge to draw, an angel out of the Sistine Chapel,, but Simon knew better. He knew that Clary found him attractive, but she and Jace had never talked, which guiltily pleased Simon.

"Clary?" Simon called, regaining her attention.

"Sorry." She squeaked, her cheeks flushing, "I was saying how this year is probably going to be really difficult, and I wanted to know if you'd be able to help me with Transfiguration this year."

"Yeah, of course." Simon and Clary fell back into a normal conversation, but Simon couldn't help but notice that Clary had kept an eye on the door for the rest of the ride.

* * *

Watching Alec and Isabelle make their way to the Slytherin table was always the hardest part about the first feast of the year. When he was a first year, he had been enchanted with the idea that he and Alec would be in the same house together. He saw Alec's face drop when the Sorting Hat had called out "Gryffindor" and imagined his face must have looked equally grim.

The next year was Isabelle's first year, and Jace found himself hoping that she'd either be put in Gryffindor with him or in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. However, Isabelle was placed in Slytherin with Alec. And it wasn't as though Jace didn't have plenty of his own friends or not like being a Gryffindor. That wasn't the case. He just missed being with his siblings. And coming back from summer holiday, where the three of them ate almost every meal together, the first feast was always bittersweet.

Jace sat himself down at the Gryffindor table, too preoccupied with his thoughts to pay attention to who he sat next to. When he looked around, he saw that he was seated across from Maia Roberts, a Beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and a small redheaded girl that he vaguely recognized from the Common Room.

"So, Maia," Jace began, ignoring the Sorting Hat's opening song, "Think you'll be able to bring some of your magic to the field without Jordan this year?"

Maia's face hardened and threw Jace a disgusted look before she stood up and found a new seat further down the table. Jace tried to figure out what he had said wrong- it was no secret to anyone that Jordan Kyle and Maia were dating. Especially to those who had been on the team with them last year. The two of them had been incredible Beater partners, easily the best in the school.

"It wasn't anything you said," The little redheaded girl said, her eyes following Maia. She frowned. "She had a really difficult summer."

"Of course she did- she didn't get to see my face everyday."  
She turned to stare at him with an incredulous look on her face, "Somehow, I think she managed without seeing it."

He smirked, "I've heard otherwise. I'm sure the only reason you survived this summer was because we had never talked before." When she didn't reply, he stuck out his hand, "Jace Wayland."

"Clary Fray," She replied, shaking his hand.

"Besides," Jace couldn't help but add, "it's not your fault that you didn't know me. You're probably, what? A second or third year? It makes sense that our paths never crossed."  
Clary recoiled sharply, letting his hand drop., "I'm a fifth year!"

Jace bit back a laugh, "Forgive me. I don't quite recall seeing you and you are...small."

Clary scowled but did not reply. His attention was almost entirely back to the Sorting when he heard, "And I did know who you were."

"Oh, did you?" He smirked lazily at her, focusing his attention on her again.

She rolled her eyes but responded, "Through Quidditch. You scored the most points for our team last year."

"Big Quidditch fan, are you?"

Her eyes lit up and a small smile graced her face, "I love it."

"Are you planning in trying out for the team?" When she nodded, he leaned forward and asked, "What position?" He was honestly curious as he took in her small frame with a critical eye.

The sorting just ended as Headmaster Branwell stood to make her Welcome Back speech, but Jace was focused entirely on Clary as she grinned, her cheeks dimpling, and said, "Seeker.".

* * *

Alec only half listened to Headmaster Branwell's speech. The other half of his attention was preoccupied by keeping an eye on his little sister. She and Aline Penhallow had their heads together, ignoring the speech as usual. The two of them were infamous for throwing parties and Alec wouldn't put it past them to figure out a way to host one tonight.

"And now," Headmaster Branwell's voice cut into Alec's thoughts, "I'd like to introduce our new potions professor, Professor Bane."

Alec sucked in a breath as the new Professor stood. Professor Bane wore a teal velvet cloak, standing out from the deeper colors of the other professors cloaks. He had smooth, tan skin, and even from where Alec sat, he could see his bright green eyes. When he smiled at all the students, Alec's heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.

Whatever Headmaster Branwell said after that, Alec didn't hear. He was captivated by the new professor. Alec watched as he leaned over and murmured something to Professor Gray, who in turn, giggled and quietly replied.

He tore his gaze back to Isabelle when he felt a quick kick in his shins. "What?"

She leaned across the table and said, "You were staring."

A hot flush colored Alec's cheeks. Isabelle was the only one who knew about his sexuality, and Alec planned on keeping it that way. His family was very traditional and didn't approve of "that lifestyle". If there was one thing Alec was terrified of, it was disappointing his parents.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Alec began to help himself to the food that had just appeared on the table.

"So, I'm thinking that we should do the party tomorrow," Aline explained, "Everyone will just want to unpack and destress from the train ride."

"We'd also get more time to spread the word if we do it tomorrow."

"You're going to host the party the first day of classes?" Alec raised his eyebrows.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes, "Yes. It'll be a nice way to welcome in the school year."

"What about homework? Now that you're 5th years, I wouldn't put it past our teachers to give you work on the first day back. Especially Professor Starkweather."

Aline sipped her pumpkin juice, "Then we work on it during dinner or before the party. Lighten up, Alec."

"It's one party, Alec. We'll be fine. And, even if you don't approve, Aline and I will just throw it anyway."

Alec sighed, "I know. That's what worries me. But, if you need me to, I will help you set up and get it ready."

Isabelle and Aline both grinned at him and went back to planning excitedly. Alec, for the remainder of dinner, while unpacking and even as he went to bed couldn't help but think about those bright green eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own **The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Harry Potter, **or any of the characters and worlds within their books. All belongs to J.K. Rowling and Cassandra Clare respectively. **_

_**Once again, a huge shoutout to my wonderful beta, Mandy. She is incredible and I love her so much for tackling this fic. Also, than you to everyone that has read, reviewed, and followed this story. It means a lot to me. Thank you. **_

* * *

When Isabelle awoke the next morning, the first thing she noticed was how silent her room was. Normally, she'd wake to the sounds of the other girls in her year getting ready, giggling and gossiping, or, at the very least, the sound of their deep breathing as they tried to sneak in their last few minutes of rest before the day started.

But the room was silent. A quick glance at her watch confirmed that Isabelle had slept in. Far later than she should have; classes were just starting. Frantically, she moved about the room, pulling on her uniform and trying to make herself look somewhat decent for her first day back. After running a brush through her hair a few times and grabbing her bag, which was fully stocked with fresh parchment and quills, Isabelle hurried out of the Slytherin common room and began the run to her first class. The path to Professor Starkweather's room was a lengthy one, one that included plenty of turns down seemingly random and endless corridors. She was glad that this wasn't her first year; there would have been no way she could have navigated the halls by herself.

Skidding to stop, Isabelle paused outside a large wooden door and smoothed her uniform and hair. If she was going to be late and cause a scene, she was not going to go in there looking frazzled and frumpy. She pushed the door open slowly, ignoring the way the hinges squeaked to mark her arrival.

"Ah," Professor Starkweather said as Isabelle walked into class, "Miss Lightwood. So nice of you to join us." Isabelle bit her tongue, knowing that whatever she said wouldn't go over well with him. "I would except 1st years to be late...not a 5th year student. Don't make it a habit."

Isabelle nodded before sliding into the only available seat, next to small Clarissa Fray, who looked up from a mess of doodles on her page to watch the other girl slide into the seat beside her. "Excuse me, sir?" A Gryffindor girl with her hand raised gave Isabelle a pointed look, "Would you mind going over the details of the Uprising, as a refresher?"

Professor Starkweather looked a bit bemused. Isabelle raised her brow, most of the class had turned to look at her upon the other girl's request.. The Uprising was something that everyone knew about. It was one of the first things that they had been taught in history when they were 1st years. "I suppose I can..."

Isabelle pulled out her parchment and a quill to doodle with, following Clarissa's lead. She'd probably heard the story of the Uprising at least a thousand times, but she still listened absently.

"As you all know, the relationship with muggles and wizard have always been barely civil, at best. Muggles in the past have always been afraid of us and our powers, which is why our existence is kept from them these days.. Most people in the wizarding community looked down on them. Despite this, the Minister of Magic has always kept the powerful muggles in the know. Most common muggles have no knowledge of our existence. . We were just fables to tell their children about.

"About 25 years ago or so, tensions between half-blooded wizards and muggle-born wizards were growing. Even though there are no real differences between pure-bloods and half-bloods, there were still strong prejudices against those who didn't have a pure wizard background.

" Unfortunately, or fortunately as some saw it, a young man around your age began to get interested in wizarding politics. He wanted to take a stand with his beliefs. He believed that those who weren't fully magical, or who didn't have two wizard parents, weren't as deserving as pure-bloods. He believed that half-blood wizards and muggle-borns didn't have the same amount of magic as those who were pure blood. He was mad at the Minister of Magic for keeping wizards a secret. He thought muggles should know about us, be grateful for us, worship us really. He developed a plan that was supposed to out the wizarding world to the muggles. Show them how much more powerful we were than them and become almost godlike in their eyes. He also wanted to rid muggleborns and half-bloods from the school, rendering them no more magical than muggles. He began spreading his ideas around Hogwarts. Many other pure-blood students agreed with him. His followers made up what he called the Circle. They agreed with his ideas and were ready to do whatever it took to make his plans succeed.

"The man I'm referring to is, of course, Valentine. As he came closer to finishing 7th year, he became more and more frantic and possessed by his plans. He would spend hours in the library, researching information about the Ministry's infrastructure, trying to figure out who would support him in the higher ranks and make extensive plans on how to reach his final goal..

"Everyone in the Circle helped. Even after they left Hogwarts, the Circle and Valentine continued to meet. Valentine spent most of his time perfecting his plan, gaining more followers and conducting Circle meetings. Finally, he had mastered out a plan- he and his followers were to storm the Ministry on the day that high ranking half-bloods and muggle-borns were planning on meeting with the Ministry of Magic. They and the Minister were going to discuss possible solutions to the growing unrest within the wizarding community between the pure-bloods and the rest. .

"Valentine had planned on having the Circle members attacking the wizards that weren't in the meeting, the ones who were waiting in the lobby of the building. He wanted to show the rest of the community how much more powerful his group of pure blooded wizards were compared to the half-bloods and muggle-borns. While this was going on, he was going to go where the Minister of Magic was meeting and demand that things changed, and that pure-bloods were put back where he thought they deserved to be. Above everyone else. He had spoken and gotten verbal agreement from several Ministry workers that this course of action would work and the Minister would be on Valentine's side. He was completely confident in his plans. Fearless.

"However, there were far too many wizards in the lobby for it to be a fair fight for his followers, no matter how much more powerful they thought themselves. While there was a large amount of members, it seemed that an unprecedented number of muggle-borns and half-bloods came out for support. When the Circle attacked, the other wizards fought back ruthlessly. Blood, spells, and bodies flew everywhere. Both sides lost a substantial amount of people, but neither side gave up.

"When Valentine barged into the Minister of Magic's office, the Minister was disgusted with him. He screamed at Valentine and had him arrested on the spot. The Minister stormed out in a rage and immediately ordered a cease-fire. Those who supported Valentine were arrested and given trials to determine their fates. Many got off with warnings or were exiled from the wizarding world. It was common knowledge that a number of half-blood and muggle-born murders had risen in the past years. The trials revealed exactly which Circle members were responsible for what. However, there were some families got off easier than most." His eyes focused on Isabelle's face for a few moments. She stuck her chin out defiantly. It wasn't a secret that her family, like many other pure-blooded families, had been a part of the Circle. Somehow, her family had gotten off with a lighter punishment, only having to relocate from their London home to their current home in Idris, as well as a short suspension from their position as aurors.

"As far as Valentine went, he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. The wizarding world has since made vast improvements in terms of relationships between muggle-borns and pure-bloods, and discrimination has been outlawed by the Minister.

"Does that satisfy you, Miss Youngblood?"

Isabelle felt something poking her arm, and when she looked down, she saw a note hastily scribbled by Clarissa. Have you read the Daily Prophet today?

No. Should I have? Isabelle shot Clarissa a questioning look, but became distracted as Professor Starkweather dismissed them. She packed up and began to leave before she heard Clarissa calling her name. People whispered as they passed.

"What?"

The smaller girl dug around in her bag before handing Isabelle a crumpled Daily Prophet, "I have to run to my next class, but you need to read the front page."

Isabelle watched her leave before she glanced at the front page of the paper. Upon seeing the headline, she froze before quickly scanning the rest of article.

_**"Valentine Circle Members Up To Their Old Tricks?**:_

_It was only 20 years ago that Valentine Morgenstern and his followers were murdering those who weren't "pure-blooded" wizards. They killed them gruesomely, leaving behind cruel notes that sent waves of fear into the muggle-born and half-blood community. Since his imprisonment in Azkaban, tensions between the wizard groups have been neatly packed away, with the help of laws that ban anti-muggle-born acts. However, this morning, Karen Jaeil (35), was found dead in her home. While this may have ordinarily been labeled as a random homicide, aurors are now wondering if Valentine's followers are beginning their anti-muggle-born/half-blood attacks again. As revealed by the now infamous Circle members' trails, each family had their own signature of attacks. Jaeil, a muggle-born, was found dead with a stab wound to the heart, after she had been stunned. A small 'L' was found carved into her wrist. This was, of course, the signature of the Lightwoods, a pure-blood family that admitted to being a part of the Circle, 20 years ago. Aurors are currently investigating the Lightwoods' potential involvement and if other Circle members are involved as well. Karen Jaeil's eulogy can be found on page 3."_

_Isabelle was running before she was even aware of what she was doing. She knew that Alec had potions as his second class of the day, so she flew down the stairs, pushing past people until she got to the dungeons. She scanned the corridor, her heart violently pumping as she searched for him. She let out a quick sigh of relief when she spotted his tall form, about to enter the classroom._

"Alec!" He made his way towards her, the smile from his face dropping as he moved closer. His eyes filled with concern as he looked her over; she knew she probably looked horrible- her hair sweaty, eyes wild, clutching a wrinkled newspaper.

"Izzy? Are you alright?" She wordlessly handed him the paper and watched him read it. His eyes hardened as he read further on. "Was this published today?"

She nodded mutely. Her mind was spinning. "They all know."

"Who knows?"

"Everyone. Some girl in my history class asked Professor Starkweather to go over the Uprising and people were staring. . Oh, God. Everyone thinks that our parents killed that woman." Isabelle spoke quickly, panic filling her chest.

"Izzy, Isabelle, calm down. Take deep breaths." Alec waited for his sister to follow his instructions before adding, "Last night, Mum and Dad were with Max. Even if aurors investigate, they won't find anything because our parents didn't do it."

"They didn't do it..." Isabelle numbly repeated.

"No. This will all blow over in a few days."

Isabelle nodded, the panic in her dark eyes dying away, "I should probably let you get to class, huh?"  
Alec glanced back, seeing the last few stragglers head in, "Probably. Class starts in a minute or so. Are you going to be late?"

"Yes, but I have Professor Gray next. Hopefully she'll understand why I'm late." She took a steadying breath, "Thank you, Alec. I'm sure you're right about all this." She gave him a quick hug before darting back up the stairs towards her class.

"I hope so," Alec murmured after her.

* * *

Alec hurried into his class, thankful that the new Professor was turned away from his students. He noticed that Professor Bane's cloak wasn't a bright color, but a normal black. Yet, the longer he looked at it, the more it seemed to shimmer with every little movements that Professor Bane made.

"Welcome back!" Professor Bane turned around suddenly, a bright grin on his cloak seemed to take a few extra seconds to catch up with his movements. Up close, Alec noted that he was even more handsome than the young wizard had originally thought. He had smooth tan skin, dark hair that was spiked up, and his smile really did light up his face.

"7th year! Congratulations on making it this far," He continued, scanning the room, "Even though this is your last year, slacking off in your schoolwork won't make your lives any easier. This is arguably your most important year, and being lazy is no excuse to not get the job of your dreams.

"Now, as this is a N.E.W.T course, it will be significantly more difficult than your previous years in Potions. I'm trying to prepare you for any career you want to take, from a healer, a teacher or an auror. As I do want you to succeed, if you find yourself falling behind or struggling, you can come talk to me and we can work out extra lessons, if need be. Effort is rewarded, laziness is not." His eyes met Alec's, who had to fight hold back a gasp. Last night, at the feast, Alec thought that the new professors eyes had been an abnormally bright green color, but up close, he could see that they were a mixture of green and yellow, a color that Alec had only seen in cat eyes.

A smirk formed on Professor Bane's lips, "Now, we're going to start off with a potion today, just so I can see where you all are with your skills. The potion you'll be brewing today is a memory potion. Aurors keep well-stocked of this particular potion, as it can remove certain memory block spells that have been put on victims or suspects. This potion is on the advanced side, so I have some doubt you'll be able to finish this in time, but do try your best. Just because you have a time restraint, does not mean you should be sloppy with your work! Alright, you have an hour and a half, and the instructions are on page 89. Good luck!"

Books were pulled out of students bags, and the sound of pages turning filled the dungeon. Professor Nightshade had had a very easygoing nature, so classes were often filled with the happy chatter from students. However, none of the students knew Professor Bane's teaching style, so they kept to themselves, all determined to impress him with their potions.

Alec, who had always been okay, but never great at potions, was nervous. He had a strong desire to please this new teacher. As he scanned the page, he realized that there was no way to finish in time. Some of the ingredients were required to simmer for up to 20 minutes at a time. With the knowledge that he wouldn't be able to finish on time, Alec decided that he was going to just take his time and be as precise as he could be.

He gathered the ingredients from the cabinet, and noticed that the Professor was making his way around the room. Alec's heart did a nervous flutter. He quickly made his way back to his table and began to cut the mandrake root into careful slices. He soon became engrossed in his work, taking his time with every ingredient, being sure his cauldron was staying at the precise heat, and stirring it exactly when his textbook told him too.

A little over halfway through the time, Alec felt a presence behind him and the strong scent of sandalwood. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore Professor Bane. When he finally moved onto another student's table, Alec glanced around the room. Most of his classmates had their potions at a darker greenish color, which was the color that the potion was supposed to be before it turned into a nice light green color. His was dark, but closer to blue. Alec knew that he had been going slower than most people, but he didn't realize that he was that far behind.

"Alright, time to clean up, bottle your potions, label them and turn them in!" Professor Bane, now standing in the front of the classroom, announced. Alec felt a jolt of panic. How would Professor Bane be grading the potions, if he knew they weren't going to finish? If it was based off of how far they got, Alec wouldn't stand a chance. But, if it was based off of following the instructions, he may have a chance at a higher grade.

He quickly cleaned his station and bottled his potion. As he walked to turn in the vial, his hands began to tremble. When he handed the potion to Professor Bane, he must have noticed the nerves. Professor Bane's smile became gentler, "Don't worry. It's not solely based on completion. From what I saw when I was walking around the room, you should be fine."

Relief flooded through Alec's body. He'd be okay. As he packed up his books and walked to his next class, his mind kept playing Professor Bane's smile over and over.

* * *

Simon settled into his seat, feeling good about the day. He was finally back at Hogwarts, he was about to start his first class in his favorite subject, and later tonight, he and Clary were to going to be hanging out. Yes, it felt good to be back at Hogwarts.

"Alright class," Professor Gray smiled warmly at her students, "Welcome back! I'm not going to give you a whole lecture about how you have to be prepared to for a difficult year or how this year is such a crucial point in your life. I'm sure your previous professor already went over it, and I don't want to add too much stress yet." Her grey eyes twinkled as she scanned the class. "Before we start the lesson-"

She was cut off as the door to her classroom banged open. All the students turned to look, including Simon to see who was interrupting. Isabelle Lightwood stood in the entryway, her long dark hair windswept and bright red cheeks.

"Miss Lightwood," Professor Gray's face had tightened, "You're a 5th year. I expect you here on time."

"I know, Professor,"

"Detention tonight after dinner." A shocked murmur travelled through the students. Everyone knew that Isabelle was incredibly talented at Transfiguration, and figured she must have been Professor Gray's favorite student. No one expected Professor Gray to give Isabelle detention, let alone on the first day back.

Isabelle's face paled, but she nodded at sat in the back of the class without another word. "As I was saying," Professor Gray continued, "I'd like to remind everyone that I am always here for additional help in this class. I have faith that all of you can get an Acceptable or above on your O.W.L.s, but I'm more than happy to work with anyone that is concerned about the tests. Now, shall we begin?"

As she turned to write on the chalkboard, Simon snuck a quick look back at Isabelle. Normally, she sat near the front of the class, her dark eyes bright and alert. Today, she seemed distant, as if she were only half paying attention. He pulled his attention away from her and back to the board, scribbling down what Professor Gray had written.

The rest of the class flew by in a blur. Professor Gray had merely given them notes and an assignment to look up the history and usage of a complex spell that would change an animal into an inanimate object. "Remember, the paper is due on Friday...and Miss Lightwood, I expect to see you here tonight." Professor Gray called out as her students started to head out for lunch.

As Simon left the classroom, he heard someone calling his name. He couldn't help but feel surprised when Isabelle ran up to him.

"Simon, right?" Isabelle pushed her hair out of her face with one hand. "I need your help."

"Uh..okay? With what?" He and Isabelle weren't friends. She hung out with her siblings, Aline Penhallow, and a few other well-liked Slytherins. He stuck with Clary and Maia Roberts.

"I need to find Clarissa Fray."

His eyes widened. Whatever he had been expecting to hear, it wasn't that. "Why?"

Her face hardened quickly, "That's between Clarissa and I."

"Clary." Isabelle stared blankly at him, "Her name is Clary. If you really need to talk to her, you should probably know know that."

Isabelle sighed, "Can you just take me to her? I know you know where she is. You two are practically attached at the hip."

Simon felt his face turn red, but still nodded. He knew that Clary was planning on spending most of her time in her dorm room unpacking. He led Isabelle through the corridors silently before his curiosity got the best of him. "Can I ask you something?"

Isabelle's eyebrows rose, "Sure,"

"Why were you late to Transfiguration?"

She snorted, "Nosy, are we?"

Simon shrugged, "You don't have tell me. I was just wondering."

Isabelle remained silent for so long that Simon didn't think she'd answer the question. Finally, she let out a long sigh, "I had to talk to Alec about...something important." Simon could tell she wouldn't expand on what her talk was about, so he just nodded, leaving her to her thoughts as they walked.

Simon stopped outside of the portrait of the Fat Lady, "She should be in her dorm,, unpacking."

Isabelle frowned at the portrait. "I haven't been able to find out the password from Jace yet. I haven't seen him all day," She murmured to herself.

The Fat Lady stared at the two of them, "Are you going to give me the password, or are you just going to stand there all day?'"

Simon flushed- he much preferred the Hufflepuff entrance, where old paintings didn't try to tempt you into a verbal fight. He had heard stories from Clary about the Fat Lady goading certain students she didn't like or making it difficult for them to enter their Common Room.

Isabelle, however, straightened her back and narrowed her eyes. "That depends. Have you seen my brother?"

The Fat Lady sniffed, "Dear, I see hundreds of students a day. Do you really expect me to keep tabs on your brother?"

"No, but you seem to know him by name which is more than you can probably say for most of the other Gryffindors. You'd recognize him."

"Who is your brother again?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes, "Jace Wayland?"

A smile formed on the Lady's face, and Simon noted that she seemed a bit pink, "Oh, yes. Jace. He decided to stay in for lunch, so it seems. He came back after his last class and hasn't left yet."

Isabelle and Simon stared at the Fat Lady, waiting for her to open and reveal the Gryffindor Common Room. Simon cleared his throat as she remained caught up in her own thoughts.

"What is it now? I've told you where your brother is." The Fat Lady snapped.

"Well, I was hoping you'd let me in," Isabelle's voice had taken on a slight edge. With her hands clenched and lips pursed into a line, Simon thought she looked terrifying and dangerous.

"You're not a Gryffindor and you don't have the password." The Fat Lady stated.

Isabelle opened her mouth angrily, but Simon quickly interjected, "She only wants to speak to her brother. She won't take too long. It's not like you have to tell her the password."

The Fat Lady raised her chin indignantly, but swung open, "Be glad that you had this young man, Miss Lightwood."

Isabelle turned to look at Simon before she climbed in, "Thank you."

Simon smiled and scratched his head, "No problem. Just...don't hurt Clary."

Something passed over Isabelle's face before she smoothed out her features, but it was too quick for Simon to place what emotion he had seen. She nodded once before entering the Gryffindor Common Room. Simon felt something flutter in the pit of his stomach, a feeling he identified as nerves. But he wasn't sure if he was nervous for Clary having to talk to an angry Isabelle, or if he was nervous for Isabelle, who seemed so unlike herself today.

* * *

Clary hummed to herself as she unpacked her suitcase. She didn't want to deal with the chaos of the 4 other girls in her dorm unpacking at once. It also meant she could spend more time with Simon before their lives got crazy. She was so engrossed in unpacking and folding her clothes, that Clary didn't see the tall figure standing at the door. When the figure cleared their throats, she jumped, dropping the shirt she was holding.

"You startled me," Clary said, turning around. Her voice died when she saw who was standing in the doorway. Isabelle Lightwood glowered at her, her cheeks red and hands clenched at her sides. When History had begun with Madeline Youngblood asking about the Uprising, Clary had quickly glanced at Isabelle. The muggle-born's death had been the talk of breakfast, everyone whispering about the Lightwood's potential involvement. Clary had seen neither Lightwood sibling, or Jace, for that matter at the tables. When she saw how bored Isabelle looked in class, she knew that Isabelle hadn't read the Prophet, and Clary hoped that Isabelle wouldn't have to find out through the tormenting of her peers.

"Why?" Isabelle spat, the single word coming out clipped, as if she was holding something back.

"What?"

"Why? Why did you tell me? Are you trying to blackmail me and my family somehow? Are you going to spread rumors about how Alec and I are involved if I don't do something for you?" Isabelle was shaking, "What is it that you want? Are you trying to bribe me into getting you and Jace together? I mean-"

"Stop." Clary's voice came out strong, despite how shaken up she felt. This is what Isabelle thought she was trying to do? Her annoyance won out over her shock. "I'm not trying to do any of that."

Isabelle let out deep, shaky breath, slumping slightly forward, "What do you want, then?" She asked, her voice breaking.

"I don't want anything."

Isabelle gave a disbelieving chuckle, "Then why would show me that? What did you gain from it?"

Clary exploded, "I was trying to help you!" Isabelle's dark eyes widened, "I wanted you to see the article for yourself before you had to deal with our classmates. No one saw you at breakfast, but the whole Great Hall was practically buzzing with the news. People like Madeline Youngblood are going to be cruel to you, so I wanted you to be able to prepare yourself for what was to come."

Isabelle stared at her, clearly taken aback the red head's outburst. "You were...trying to help?"

"Yes," Clary turned her back on Isabelle, not wanting to see the surprise on Isabelle's face. As furious as Clary was at the accusations that Isabelle made, she couldn't help but feel pity for her. She looked as though she was unable to grasp the concept of someone wanting to help her. Clary wondered how many close friends Isabelle truly had, aside from her family.

"I'm sorry," Isabelle whispered, sinking on one of the beds in the room, "I...I didn't know."

"Did you really think that I told you because I wanted something? Do you truly think that low of me?" Clary turned again, her eyes meeting Isabelle's.

"Not of you necessarily...but of people, yes." Clary could feel her anger weakening at Isabelle's words. She sounded so miserable. "I'm sorry, Clary."

Clary sighed, "It's fine."

"Was everyone really talking about it at breakfast?" When Clary nodded, Isabelle flopped back on Clary's bed and groaned, "What am I going to do?"

Clary tried to keep her surprise from showing on her face. Isabelle Lightwood, who she had never spoken to until today, was laying on her bed and asking her for advice. "Just...be your normal self? The girl who doesn't give two shits about anyone else."

Clary was glad to see Isabelle roll her eyes and sound almost like her old self when she said, "Obviously. I meant, do I defend my family, or do I just not say anything?"  
Clary shrugged, "I know you think that your family is innocent," Clary hurried to finish her sentence as Isabelle's eyes flashed dangerously, "But, do you think it'd be worth it to have to continually defend yourself? I mean, I'm sure this will blow over and everyone will forget. But, I can't make that choice for you."

Isabelle pursed her lips, "I just don't want anyone to think badly of my family. I don't care so much about Alec, Jace or myself. But this hurts my family, my 9 year old brother who can't defend himself here."

"I can't tell you what to do, Isabelle. Just...follow your instinct."

Isabelle sat up, smiling, "You're right." She flounced to the door, "You know, you're not bad, Clary." With a brilliant smile, she left the room.

Clary stared after her, wondering what just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you so much to everyone that has been reviewing, favoriting, and getting alerts on this story. Really, it means to the world to me and I absolutely love hearing back from all of you. A special shout out to my beta, Mandy, who sees all of this before it's decent and to my friend Lauren, who I am constantly sending snippets too. I love you both. _**

* * *

Despite her talk with Clary, Isabelle was glad she only had one class before dinner. Even just walking to Divination, she felt the cold stares and sneers of her classmates. She kept her head held high, but it was all she could do to not turn around and give them a piece of her mind. Her parents may not have the most innocent of pasts, but there was no way that they were behind the murder of Karen Jaeil. She was glad her Divination class was with her fellow Slytherins. She hoped they wouldn't be as harsh as other students since they knew her better than the rest of the school.

However, after enduring the sharp gaze of Madame Dorothea and the smothering scent of lavender incense, Isabelle was more than happy to escape to the fresh air of the corridor after the class ended. To her pleasant surprise, Aline was waiting at the bottom of the ladder, beaming when she saw Isabelle.

"Isabelle! Tonight is going to be so great. I was so excited that I could barely sit still through Charms."

Isabelle furrowed her brow, "What's tonight?" she asked.

Aline's face dropped, "The party? Our "Welcome back to Hogwarts, let's ring in the new year party? The one we planned last night and the one that I've been telling everyone about?"

"Oh, shit," Isabelle rubbed her face as the two of them made their way through the corridor, "Sorry, I completely spaced. Today's kind of been hectic." When Aline opened her mouth to comment, Isabelle quickly added, "I also have detention, so I'll be late."

"Isabelle, how did you manage to get detention on the first day?"

"For being late to my classes." Isabelle shot a mock glare at Aline, "And thanks for waking me up this morning."

Aline giggled, "I was running late myself. Besides, I didn't think you'd _actually _be late for class. Wait a second. We have History of Magic together. Professor Starkwell didn't give you detention. Are you saying you were late for _another _class?"

"Maybe..."

Groaning, Aline asked, "Which teacher gave you detention?"

"Professor Gray."

The shorter girl shrugged, "That could be a lot worse. At least she likes you."

"That's true, I suppose."

"People are probably going to stay relatively late since we have no classes tomorrow, which means that no matter what time you get out of detention, there should still be a party going on."

Isabelle managed a small smile. It quickly fell as the two girls entered the Great Hall. Though the majority of the students ignored her, Isabelle noticed a few groups of students that glanced at her before quickly turning to whisper to their friends. She gritted her teeth, but refused to acknowledge them. Aline and Isabelle sat across from Alec, who gave them each a smile.

"Alec, you're still coming to the party tonight, right?" Aline asked before Isabelle was able to say picked at some food, spooning some rice and chicken on her plate even though she wasn't hungry.

"Probably. I was going to quickly go to the library to check out some books and maybe get a jump start on some essays beforehand, though. But I guess I can save that for tomorrow." Isabelle crinkled her nose at the idea of starting homework on the first weekend of the year.

"Good, because Isabelle landed herself in detention and I really don't fancy being there alone."

Isabelle shook her head, sliding her fork through the pile of food on her plate as she spoke, "Aline, it's not like it'll be just you in the common room. Jace will be there. And," She added slyly, "I'm sure Helen wouldn't mind if you hung out with her until I got there."

Aline blushed slightly and grabbed the nearest container of pumpkin juice.

Alec met Isabelle's eyes, "So Professor Gray didn't take you being late so well, huh?"

"Not quite," Isabelle poured herself some pumpkin juice and watched as Aline focused her attention on her plate, still blushing., "But I'm done talking about it for now. Tell me how your day went. How was potions? Is the new Professor any good?"

Isabelle raised a brow when Alec's cheeks slightly flushed, turning the same shade as Aline's She made a mental note to ask him about it when Aline and other students weren't around, "Yeah, he seems like he'll be a good teacher." His eyes refocused on Isabelle's, "He seems like he's willing to help you and wants you to do well."

"Good," Isabelle sighed before moving onto another topic. Their conversations throughout dinner were empty and meaningless. Isabelle wasn't sure that Aline was only busy worrying about hosting the party alone and Alec seemed distracted. Their cheeks remained a stained pink color for the rest of dinner.

Taking one last bite of her pumpkin pie, Isabelle stood up, stretching her long limbs, "Alright, I guess it's time for me to go see Professor Gray. Don't have too much fun without me," She winked at Aline before hurrying out of the Great Hall.

The corridors were mostly empty and no one paid much attention to Isabelle. They were too focused on discussing their first day back and how their plans for the weekend. She made quick work of the walk to her professor's office and upon reaching Professor Gray's office, took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Of all the teachers at Hogwarts, Professor Gray was one of the ones that Isabelle respected the most. She didn't want the professor to think that being late would turn into anything more than an one-off thing.

"Come in," Professor Gray called, in response to Isabelle's knock on the door. When Isabelle walked in, Professor Gray was sitting behind her desk. Unlike the put-together professor that Isabelle was used to from class, Tessa seemed much more relaxed in the confines of her brightly lit office. Her dark curls were out of her updo and she had ink-stains on her hands. Isabelle moved to sit in the chair across from her, fiddling with her hands in her lap as the older lady watched her carefully..

"Would you like some tea?"

"Excuse me?"

"Tea, Miss Lightwood, would you like some?" Professor Gray put a small teacup in front of Isabelle and offered her the teapot.

Isabelle poured herself some tea and watched Gray pour her own cup and calmly drink from it.A long burst of silence filled the room, only interrupted by the sound of a clock ringing from somewhere behind the professors desk. Finally, Isabelle couldn't help but ask, "Am I going to have to scrub the trophy room?"

Professor Gray laughed, "Of course not. What made you think that?"

"I'm here for detention...usually I'm given the task of cleaning the trophy room when I get detention. Or something along those lines."

Professor Gray pursed her lips together, "No, you're not in trouble. Not that I am pleased with you being late to my class, of course. But I did want to chat with you. Even if you hadn't arrived late, I still would have asked you to see me."

"Okay, I see." Isabelle slowly nodded, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

The professor took a long drink of tea, clearly sorting out how she wanted to phrase what she was about to say, "I wanted to talk about what _The Daily Prophet _printed today."

Isabelle's squared shoulders slumped and she cast her eyes downward, "Oh."

"Isabelle, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to sound like I believed what they said." Isabelle looked up hopefully, "People have little else to do but talk, and I wanted to assure you that I'd always be here if you needed to talk to someone who believes that your parents didn't attack that muggle-born."

"Thank you, Professor." Isabelle mustered a smile, "But, it really doesn't matter, does it? This whole situation should blow over soon, right?"

Professor Gray hesitated, her tea cup pausing mid sip, "Of course. Either way, though, my offer still stands."

"Thank you." For the first time all day, Isabelle smiled brightly, "Is that all?"

"Yes, I do believe so. Now, go have fun at your party." Professor Gray laughed at the look of astonishment on Isabelle's face, "We teachers aren't totally clueless, you know. But, you should tell Miss Penhallow not to speak quite so loudly in Professor Carstair's class."

It was common knowledge that Professor Gray and Professor Carstair's were close friends, and rumor had it that Professor Carstair was interested in the young Transfiguration teacher, so Isabelle was not surprised that he had told Professor Gray.

"I'll let her know. Thank you again, Professor." Isabelle left the room, feeling lighter than she had all day.

* * *

After dinner, Jace quickly returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, anxious to get out of his school robes and put on something a little nicer. Last year, at this very same party, he and Kaelie began their on-again off-again relationship. This year, he had no interest in flirting with any random girls. The only thing that was running through Jace's mind was the question of if the intriguing Clary Fray would be attending the party.

Once he changed into a black button down, he headed back down the to main Common Room, not that he would ever admit it, but his heart may have skipped a beat when he saw Clary curled up on the over-stuffed armchair in front of the fire, drawing in a black book that he had seen her carrying around before. It was bizarre how he had never seen her before but was now seeing her everywhere he looked.

Walking around the chair, he plucked Clary's book out of her hand, earning a gasp of protest from her. Before he was able to peek in it, she snatched it back, cheeks burning red. His thumb stung where a piece of paper had cut him in her desperate bid to snatch her book back. "Please tell me this is not how you're going to spend your first night back at Hogwarts."

She glared at him, the fire reflecting in her green eyes, "So what if I was?"

"I mean, it's your choice. But why doodle when you can celebrate the start of a new school year?"

"First of all, it's not _doodling_." She grimaced just saying the word, "Secondly, it only sounds like a great option when you've been invited to said celebration."

Jace hesitated. Though he had never heard Isabelle mention Clary, he didn't want to invite Clary to a party if Isabelle hated the girl. "Do you want to go?"

Clary looked up, her eyes shining, "No, it's fine. I wasn't trying to make you feel like you had to invite me." She looked perplexed.  
"Don't be stupid," Jace rolled his eyes, "I want you to come. It will be fun." When Clary smiled, Jace knew he made the right decision.

Her smile dropped quickly, "Wait...can we invite Simon?"

"Who?"

"Simon Lewis. He's a 5th year Hufflepuff and my best friend. He and I were supposed to hang out tonight, and I wouldn't feel right about just cancelling our plans."

Jace bit the inside of his cheek. He knew who Simon was; he had seen the two of them together throughout the day. In all honesty, he didn't want to invite Simon. He knew he was being selfish, only wanting Clary to come so he could get to know her, make her laugh and smile. He didn't want to have to compete for her attention. However, he could tell that she wouldn't go unless Simon came with. He sighed,wondering briefly why he found her loyalty attractive. "Sure. The more the merrier."

She grinned, promising she'd just be a second while she put away her book. As he waited for her to finish putting her things away, Jace wondered if he had done the right thing by inviting her and her friend. But when she finally appeared, all of his doubts disappeared. Clary looked radiant, having changed from her uniform to a simple gold dress.

"You look incredible," He said, unable to take his eyes off her. Her dress nearly matched the brightness of her smile.

She beamed, cheeks turning pink, "Thanks. My mum bought me this dress ages ago and I haven't had a chance to wear it yet."

The walk to the Hufflepuff common room went by quickly, Jace was slowly getting to know the spirited girl better. When Clary introduced Simon to Jace, he immediately regretted his choice. He could tell that Simon fancied Clary and it was obvious that Simon did not like him. The two boys sized each other up while Clary explained Simon the new plans for the night. They made their way to the Slytherin's dungeon Common Room an awkward silence only broken by Clary trying to coax the boys into talking to each other. It didn't work.

As soon as they walked into the room, Jace sought out Isabelle. He wanted to tell her about the extra guests he brought before she saw them herself. However, the room was crowded, and he couldn't see her tall figure, so he resorted to telling Aline, hoping she'd relay the message to Izzy.

"Oh, it's no problem!" Aline chirped. Already, she was flushed from the excitement of hosting a party and the heat of the room, "I'm sure Isabelle won't care. And if she does, I'll deal with her. You go have fun."

Clary alternate between dancing with Jace and chatting to Simon, who had picked a spot on the wall and stood there almost the entire night. Jace couldn't help but smile; Simon's position reminded him of Alec's behavior at parties, the only Lightwood who seemed morally opposed to them.

As the night wore on, he learned more about Clary. That she was a muggleborn, or at least assumed she was, since she didn't know her father. Her mother was an artist and had been a nervous when Clary first got her Hogwarts letter. He now knew that her strengths lay in Charms, but she was dreadful at Transfiguration. She had also been practicing her Seeking abilities this summer, ready to try out for the open spot on the team. She loved to draw and rambled when nervous. Jace found himself trying to make her blush as often as possible, enjoying the way her cheeks lit up and the way she stuttered as she tripped over her words.

When Clary decided that she was exhausted and needed to go to bed, the two parted ways. She insisted on walking Simon back to his dorm, so Jace headed back to the Gryffindor common room alone. For a good part of the night, Jace couldn't sleep, his mind replaying how Clary looked while she dance, carefree, happy and beautiful, and processing all the new facts that he had learned about her.

* * *

Simon woke up the next morning, wrapped in warmth, ears filled with the sound of his roommates' steady breathing. It took him a minute to place why everyone was sleeping so late, as most of his friends were early risers. Then he remembered; today was Saturday. Yesterday was the first day back at school and the night of the Lightwood/Penhallow party.

He hadn't planned on going. He and Clary were going to continue their annual tradition of staying up all night, finishing off the last of their muggle candies that they had brought from home and relaxing. But then, Jace Wayland of all people, had invited Clary to go to the party, and Clary had begged Simon to come with her.

Groaning, Simon rolled out of bed and pulled on a jumper and a pair of jeans. It was too early for him to think about last night, and he had another tradition that he needed to fulfill. He grabbed his school bag before climbing down the stairs to the Hufflepuff common room. For the past 4 years, he'd written to his mother after his first day, filling the letter with as many details as possible.

His mother has always been overprotective of Simon. Something about him being her only son and the youngest made her coddle him more than she did with Simon's older sister, Rebecca. When he had gotten his Hogwarts acceptance letter, her protectiveness came out even more. She was a muggle, as was Rebecca, and had no idea what Simon would be getting himself into. To calm her fears, Simon promised that he'd write to her as soon as he got to the school and let her know everything about his first night there. Even though her fear of magic has diminished, Simon kept up with this tradition.

_Dear Mum, _

_Well, I made it. The train ride was, per usual, pretty uneventful. Clary and I just talked about what we think this year is going to be like. She sends her love, by the way. _

_We only had one day of class before the weekend started. Already, teachers are piling on homework and stress. It's because us 5th years have our O.W.L.s this year. You remember me talking about the O.W.L.s, right? They're used to help place us into classes that are required for the jobs we want to take when we're older. They basically decide our future. Even though it's only been one day, our professors are putting a lot of pressure on us. They keep talking about how we have to do well on the tests. It's making all of the 5th years nervous, and the test is 8 months away!_

_Aside from that, things seem pretty normal here. Send my love to Rebecca, and tell her I'll be writing to her soon. I have to start some homework, so I think that's all for now. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me soon._

_Love,_

_Simon_

He rolled up the parchment, and headed out of the common room and up the stairs towards the Owlery. He knew the muggleborn murder was something that his mother expected him to tell her about, but Simon couldn't bring himself to writing about it. She would only be unnecessarily worried about him. Even if he told her a hundred times how safe Hogwarts was, she'd still worry. No, it was better to leave out that information. At least for now.

Arriving at the Owlery, he gave a start when he saw someone else was in the room. It was early on a Saturday and he hadn't seen a soul on his walk up from the common room. At first, Simon didn't recognize her. He was so used to seeing her dressed in the school uniform, or, when everyone went on Hogsmeade trips, looking stylish. However, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple white sweater. Even her long hair, that was usually down, was pulled in a messy bun.

Simon kept to himself, trying not to alert Isabelle that he was in the room. However, he stepped on a creaky board, which caused Isabelle to turn quickly around. After a moment, a slow smirk formed on her lips, "You know, girls don't really like when guys stalk them."

"What? I'm not stalking you?" Simon sputtered, his face turning red. The large open room suddenly felt very small as Isabelle Lightwood focused her full attention on him.

"I don't know," Her smirk had turned into a full smile, "I mean, there was after Transfiguration, the party yesterday, and now. Be careful. Clary might get jealous."

"You were the one that wanted my help after Transfiguration!"

She shrugged, "Details. But, you were at the party last night. I haven't seen you at one before, so something had to have changed."

He scowled, not wanting to think about the party, "Yeah, that wasn't my choice."

Isabelle raised a brow, "Oh? So, Clary dragged you there? Or, did she say that she was going and you couldn't stand the thought of her going without you?"

"Neither. She was invited and she asked me to go as well."

"Ah," Isabelle turned back to her owl,a pretty white bird with calculating orange eyes and attached her letter to his leg, "Who invited her? Not that I mind; I just don't remember telling her about it."

"Jace Wayland."

"What?" Isabelle whipped around and her owl hooted, annoyed at her sudden movement., "_Jace _invited her?" Simon nodded, "I didn't even know they were friends. Hell, I didn't even realize he knew who she was." The owl flapped a wing out lazily, still voicing its annoyance.

"Nor did I," Simon muttered, turning away to look for his own owl, a small barn owl named Rapheal.

"Don't worry too much," Isabelle reassured him, picking up on his bitter tone, "Clary isn't really Jace's type. You have nothing to worry about."

Narrowing his eyes, he turned to look at her again and asked, "And what exactly is his type?"

"Don't be like that. I didn't say Jace was too good for her-"

"No, you insinuated it, though."

"I meant," Isabelle cut him off, her eyes flashing, "That Jace usually goes for girls that are just in it for ones who really don't care if they just have a fling. Clary seems like the girl who'd want a relationship for the long run. She and Jace, even if they were both interested in each other, probably wouldn't work out."

Simon said nothing, returning his attention towards the owls. He kept his attention away from Isabelle, until he heard her make her way out of the Owlery. He looked towards the window, watching her snowy owl fly further and further away, until he was left alone with only his thoughts.

* * *

Alec found himself in the library on what was probably the last gorgeous day of summer. Despite sitting with his back to the window, he could still feel the warmth of the sun crawling up his spine and hear the excited voices from students that were lounging on the grounds. Isabelle had burst into his room this morning, demanding that he come down and spend the day relaxing with her by the Black Lake. Despite Isabelle's insistence, he found himself in the library, pouring over a transfiguration book. Already he had been assigned a paper and there was no way he could write the paper in one day. He often wished he had Izzy's natural gift for the subject, but he always been stronger in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What on Earth are you doing in here, today of all days?" A voice drawled from in front of him.

Alec whipped his head up and came face to face with Professor Bane. He was dressed down, his face almost bare of glitter, though he still had black kohl smudged around his eyes. He wore a plain black robe over a pair of jeans and a bright purple shirt that may have been a bit too tight to be 100% school appropriate.

Turning red, Alec mumbled, "Studying."

"You've had one day of class," Professor Bane deadpanned, waving a hand in the direction of the large pile of books Alec had stacked neatly beside him.

"I don't want to fall behind." Alec shrugged, though he looked unsure, "I know this is my most important year, and I don't want to mess it up."

His eyes softened slightly, "I see. But even with that sound reasoning, you're still the only one in here." Alec glanced around the library. He was used to the library always having students in it, studying for an exam, finding a book, or just escaping the chaos of their common room. However, Professor Bane was right. There was no one else in there today.

"You're in here"

The older man scoffed, throwing the book he had been holding down on the table, "Not by choice. I have first years, first thing on Monday. I want to show them what books to look for when I give them their first assignment. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd hear the complaints of students who didn't realize that our library have these books." Alec smiled slightly, remembering the days when he was a scared first year. Some of his classmates had done exactly what Bane said.

"So," Professor Bane said, plopping down into the seat across from Alec. He flicked his robes out of the way as he sat, turning his bright eyes directly on the younger, and now flustered, boy, "What do you want to go on to do next year?"

Alec sputtered, not expecting his handsome new teacher to ask him about his future, let alone sit down across from him as though they were close friends, "What are you doing?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow at Alec,somehow looking amused and condescending at the same time. "Sitting with you. On my good conscious, I cannot let you sit in an empty library, alone. That sounds dreadful. Anyway, answer the question."

Alec sighed, "An auror."

"Ah, I see. Just like your parents?"

"Do you know them? I mean, did you go to school with them?" Alec grasped at straws for some words to keep the conversation going.

Professor Bane gave him an affronted look, "How old do you think I am? No, I did not go to school with them. And, even if I did, I probably wouldn't have been that close with them. Different house, different beliefs."

Alec knew that he was referring to his parents role in the Uprising, but he was curious about something else, "What house were you in?"

A smile played around his lips, "Ravenclaw. Though, the Sorting Hat had a difficult time placing me."

"Where else did the Sorting Hat want to put you?" Alec's desire to get to know Professor Bane grew as they continued to talk, and he couldn't help but keep asking questions.

"The Sorting Hat thought I'd do okay in the other houses, but the main one that he was contemplating was Slytherin. He ultimately chose Ravenclaw. I also wasn't too keen on being put on Slytherin. I was in Hogwarts after the Uprising, mind you, I knew how most Slytherins felt about people who weren't pure blood. How some still do."

Alec looked down at his book, refusing to meet Bane's steady gaze. The professor pursed his lips, "You know that I don't think your parents are guilty, right?"

Alec looked up, fire blazing in his bright blue eyes, "Why? Everyone else seems to think so. I hear everyone talking in the corridors, whispering about the Lightwoods, and how Isabelle and I are probably just as bad. Yesterday, even Professor Lovelace was treating me like she thought my parents were guilty. Like I should be ashamed of my family."

Professor Bane sighed and rubbed his face, "As I said, I know your parents. Maybe not through school, but I know them. They may have previously been in the Uprising, but they wouldn't just attack muggleborns now. As for the students? Ignore them." He brushed the air aside to demonstrate his point, "They know nothing. They just like to talk. Most of the teachers here don't believe that the Lightwoods killed that woman. Professor Lovelace...well...she's an exception. But, almost every other teacher doesn't think so. As long as you know your parents aren't guilty, everyone else doesn't matter."

Alec bit back his response, that of course what other people thought of his parents mattered. Instead, he reluctantly nodded his head.

"Good," Bane grabbed his book and stood up, "Now, I have to go check this out. Professor Gray wanted to chat with me and I'm sure she's starting to wonder where I am. So, if you'll excuse me," He gracefully began to walk away, before turning back and adding, "And, Alec...do try to get outside and enjoy the fresh air today."

After Professor Bane left, Alec stared at his book for a while, the words he read refusing to be comprehended in his brain. Packing up his book, parchment and quills, Alec left the library, heading out to enjoy the beautiful day.

* * *

Jace woke up alone in his dorm, sunlight streaming through the windows. Glancing at his watch, he was shocked to see that it was past noon already. For as long as he could remember, Jace had always woken up early- earlier than Alec, Isabelle and sometimes even his adoptive parents. Running a hand through his messy blonde hair, he thought back to the night before.

Stretching, Jace wondered if he'd be able to see Clary today and talk to her. Hopefully, without Simon around to glare daggers at him or distract her. He bounded out of bed, changed quickly and hurried down the stairs. Scanning the common room, he felt a pang of disappointment when he didn't see the small red-head. He decided to take a walk outside and clear his head. And, maybe along the walk, he would keep an eye out for Clary. Maybe.

The corridors were strangely empty and quiet. Everyone was either outside or sleeping away the afternoon. Wandering outside, he blinked in the bright light, before smiling broadly. Students were milling about- some relaxing under the shade of the tree, others swimming in the Black Lake. The air was warm, reminiscent of summer. Spotting a dark haired figure sitting under a tree, he made his way towards it, recognizing the shape.

"Hey Izzy. Didn't see you much last night." Jace sat himself down next to his sister, leaning back against the tree. If he ignored all the other students, he could almost pretend that this was just another summer afternoon in Idris.

"Yeah, I got there late. I had detention." Ignoring the look Jace gave her, she continued, "But, I heard that you were there with Clary Fray?"

"Who'd you hear that from?"

"Are you denying it?"

Jace sighed irritably, "No, I was there with Clary. I'm just curious to see who's already gossiping about it."

Isabelle giggled, "Simon Lewis told me."

"You're friends with him?" Jace's eyebrows rose.

"I wouldn't say we're friends. But, I ran into him this morning in the Owlery and he told me that the three of you went to the party. Sounds like a fun group." She teased.

"Were you sending a letter to Mum and Dad?"

Isabelle's smile slipped off her face, "Yeah, I was. I want to see how they're holding up."

"You know the _Prophet _was wrong, right?"

"Of course I know!" Isabelle snapped. She let out a breath, slumping back on the tree, "I know. I'm just worried. Their jobs could be at risk and they've worked so hard to get rid of the reputation from the Uprising. It's just crazy to think that they might lose it all again because of a stupid lie."

Jace put his arm around Isabelle, letting her lean into him, "I know, Izzy. But, they're strong, and so are we. We're Lightwoods after all. Mum and Dad will be fighting to keep their jobs and reputation. The truth will come out in the end. As for us? You, me, and Alec are going to be okay. Max might not be here right now but we're always going to be there for him. We have each other. We don't need anyone else. We just have to ignore what everyone thinks." The siblings sat against the tree, drawing support from each other, and watching the other students enjoy their Saturday.

* * *

"Nice nap, Iz?"

Isabelle blinked up at Alec, his face shaded by the sun. Sitting up, she rolled her neck a few times to try to get rid the pain in her neck from leaning on Jace, who was still dozing off. "It's not my fault. The sun is just so warm and Jace's shoulder was comfortable. Though, I am regretting using him as a pillow." Alec chucked, taking a seat next to Isabelle. "How was the library?"

"Good. I got the book that I needed and was able to get a jump start on my essay." Alec hesitated, which did not go unnoticed by Isabelle.

"And?"

Alec ran a hand through his hair, "And, I ran into Professor Bane in the library."

Isabelle raised her eyebrows. Normally, Alec wouldn't get worked up about seeing a professor in the library. She remembered the distant look that he got when she had asked about the new Potions professor, "What's the problem?"

Alec glanced at Jace, whose head was lolled back against the tree, still sleeping. When he glanced back at her his bright blue eyes were filled with pain. "Izzy...he's handsome."

If this had been anyone else, Isabelle would have giggled and told them to just deal with it. However, this was her brother and she was the only one who knew about his sexuality. She had been his sole confidant for the last 5 years. Questions were teeming in her mind, but she knew that Alec wouldn't respond well to an onslaught on questions. "How attractive? Like, Professor Herondale hot?"

Alec sighed, rubbing a hand across his face, "It's different. Professor Herondale always looks a little unkempt, like he's just gotten out of a fight or something. Professor Bane is so put together."

"Well, I'll just have to see., won't I? I have him before lunch on Monday, so I'll get back to you." Alec gave a small chuckle but said nothing else. Deciding to push her luck, Isabelle tentatively asked, "Isn't it kind of a good thing?"

"How would this be a good thing?"

She glanced at her other brother, "I mean, it means you're getting over him. Or, at least starting to think about over people." She didn't miss how Alec tensed up, his face void of any emotion.

"Isabelle. He's a professor. It's no better than _him._"

"No, I think it is," Isabelle pressed on, "You've felt guilty for liking _him _for years, Alec. Maybe Professor Bane can help you get over him. It's natural for students to like teachers. It's not ever going to develop into anything more than a crush or infatuation. It's a way for you to realize there are other people aside from Jace that you could be attracted to."

Alec frantically looked at Jace, rounding on Isabelle when he realized that he still hadn't woken up, "I'm not the same as you or most people, Izzy."

"You need to stop beating yourself because of who you are." Isabelle said quietly. She knew how stubborn Alec was and how pointless it would be get into a full argument with him.

He shook his head angrily, "I have to go. I'll talk to you later," Alec stood, avoiding Isabelle's gaze. She followed him with her eyes as he walked back to the castle, his head bent towards the ground.

Isabelle leaned over and poked Jace, "Get up, lazy. I'm sure you have better things to do than sleep on the ground."

"Mm," Jace groaned, blinking blearily up at her, "On the contrary, I don't know if I do."

Laughing, Isabelle said, "Why don't you tell me why you invited Clary?"

"Was it a problem? You keep bringing it up." Jace asked, bristling. He didn't look sleepy anymore and his voice was verging on angry.

"No, I just didn't know you knew her."

"Okay, so I just met her...it's not a big deal."

Isabelle regarded him, taking in the defensive tone. Usually, Jace was so casual when he talked about girls. She wondered if she was wrong when she told Simon that Clary and Jace would never work. Clary was obviously different; already she was affecting him more than any girl had ever before.

"Okay, Jace. Whatever you say."


	4. Chapter 4

**Since chapter 3 took so long for me to get up, I decided to post this chapter as soon as I could! Just as a warning, myself and my beta are both leaving for our first year at university. Though I have a little over half of the story written and the rest fully planned, I cannot promise when I will be able to update/write nor can I promise when Mandy will be able to edit it. But this story will continue, I promise. Thanks again to Mandy, who I've thanked at least a thousand times by now. Also, thanks to Lauren who was there this week when I figured out a new plot twist. And thanks to everyone reading and reviewing this! You all are the best**

* * *

When Monday morning rolled around, Isabelle made sure to wake up with plenty of time to get ready. While she was pretty sure that her body had finally adjusted to waking up earlier, she didn't want to have another teacher yell at her for being late.

Aline, on a bed across the room, rolled off her mattress as Isabelle finished tying her House tie. Grinning, she said, "Actually going to be on time for class today, Iz?"

"Of course. I'm a model student,"

Aline snorted but followed Isabelle into the adjoining bathroom without another comment. Isabelle plaited her hair in the mirror in content silence as Aline fixed her own hair and brushed her teeth.

"I hope you know that you can always talk to me." Aline suddenly blurted out, her eyes trained on Isabelle's reflection in the mirror.

"What do you mean?" Isabelle turned towards Aline, who was now steadily gazing at her own reflection in the mirror.

"Well, I'm not an idiot. I read the papers." Aline was turning red as she spoke, "I saw what _The Prophet _wrote about your family. And I just wanted to clarify that if you ever needed someone to talk to, you have me. To talk to or vent to or whatever. I'm always here for you."

Isabelle and Aline had been friends since they were very young. The Lightwoods and Penhallows were close friends, so the girls grew up together. People in Idris used to joke that they were twins separated at birth. And though Isabelle planned on not talking about the accusations to anyone outside of the immediate family until they died down, it touched her that Aline offered.

Isabelle smiled, "I know. But thank you. Really." Aline met her eyes in the mirror and returned the smile, "I'll be waiting for you in the common room so you can change into your robes, okay?"

Isabelle made her way into the common room and waited. With vague disinterest, she watched her housemates that walked down from the dormitory and left for breakfast, giggling with their friends. She knew that some of the Slytherins were slightly wary of her. Even though their parents may have once been in the Circle, Isabelle's were the ones who might still be committing horrible acts of violence. The Slytherins were still being nice to her, but Isabelle knew that it was only a matter of time before they turned on her too. That is, if the investigation wasn't ended soon.

"Ready to go?" Aline appeared in front of Isabelle, dressed in her school robes.

"Ready," Isabelle smiled and the girls made their way to the Great Hall, chatting about their classes. When they arrived in the Great Hall, they sat next to Alec, who was lost in his own mind, his eyes focused on an empty chair at the tall table in the front of the Great Hall. Aline gave Isabelle a questioning look, but she began to pile toast on her plate to avoid Aline's gaze.

"So, Alec," Isabelle called, getting his attention. He blinked as though he just woken up, "What class do you have first today?"  
"History," He said, wrinkling his nose, "And what class do you have? Must be something good because you're actually here on time."  
Isabelle rolled her eyes but Aline jumped in, "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Aha!" Triumph blazed in his eyes, "You want to impress Professor Herondale!"

"What? I do not!"

"Weren't you telling me yesterday how attractive you think he is?" Aline smirked as Isabelle sputtered.

"Traitor!" The illusion of anger dissipated as Isabelle burst into giggles, Aline and Alec quickly following suit. Isabelle wiped at her eyes before saying, "No, I figured that having one day of being late is enough. I can't have teachers think I'm going to be a troublemaker this year."

"Yet," Alec muttered as Aline snorted but wisely kept her thoughts to herself..

Taking a bite of toast, Isabelle rolled her eyes but refused to comment. So, she didn't have the perfect track record when it came to good behavior, but that didn't mean she was a troublemaker. It just meant that she knew how to have fun.

Before Isabelle could rejoin Alec and Aline's conversation, something about an upcoming Camille Belcourt concert next summer, she noticed her snowy owl flying towards her. The large bird dropped a letter neatly onto Isabelle's crumb-filled plate before flying off to the Owlery, one its wings brushing the top of Isabelle's head. Hastily, Isabelle unrolled the parchment and read;

"_Dear Isabelle,_

_Thank you for your letter. Your father and I are sorry that you had to find out about the accusations through _The Prophet. _However, it happened far too quickly for us to warn you or your brothers. _

_Yes, the Ministry is taking actions against us. They're doing a full scale investigation, which includes being able to burst into our house and search it at any given moment. They've suspended our Auror license for the time being. The people of Idris have turned against us as well; anytime we go out, we're met with glares, whispers, and there have been people who have the audacity to come up to us and be rude. Max, as it is, has been taken out to school for his own good. With our pasts being brought back up and tensions clearly growing, your father and I decided it would be best for him to be away from children who may attempt to bully or harm him._

_I do apologize to you, Jace, and Alec. Unlike Max, we can't take you out of school because your classmates are cruel. I know some teachers will probably be much colder to you as well. However, you have to keep your head up and try not to let them get to you. You're a Lightwood, Isabelle. You will be able to overcome this, just as your father and I will._

_We'll keep you updated on anything new. Continue to be strong even if people try to tear you apart. Send our love to your brothers._

_Love, Mum"_

"Who's the letter from?" Alec wondered, taking a bite of scrambled eggs.

"Mum," Isabelle passed the letter to him. Alec's blue eyes widened as he read the letter, then narrowed as he handed it back to her. He put his fork down and pushed his plate away with a quick, sharp movement.

"When did you write to them?  
"Saturday morning."

Alec shook his head with disgust, "I can't believe they suspended them from their jobs! Nothing has been proven yet."

Isabelle let out a frustrated sigh, "I know. And as much as I'd love to trash talk the Ministry and their treatment of our parents, Aline and I have Defense Against the Dark Arts to get to. We'll talk later." She stomach churned at the thought of her parents and brother trapped in their own home.

As Aline and Isabelle made their way down the corridor, Isabelle handed Aline the letter. Aline furrowed her brow as she got further along with the letter, "How can they strip your parents of their license? It's not like they've been convicted of anything!"

A bitter laugh escaped from Isabelle's lips, "I guess all they need is something that could possibly point to my parents to cause them to take drastic measures. It's insane."

"I'm sorry, Iz. I'm sure they'll be back on the field soon enough. It's not like the Ministry can keep them out 're some of the best aurors we have."

"I hope not," Isabelle said as she pushed the doors open to the classroom. Her mood lifted when she saw Professor Herondale standing at the front of the class, gazing at his students. Despite all the teasing Aline and Alec gave her, she did think that Professor Herondale was quite attractive. With his dark hair and piercing blue eyes, most girls at Hogwarts found themselves looking forward to their classes with him. However, as handsome as Isabelle thought he was, she could only appreciate it so much. He had the same coloring as Alec, making Isabelle feel uncomfortable every time she found herself thinking of the professor for too long.

"Alright, class." Professor Herondale said as the last students found their seats, "Welcome to 5th year Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm sure you've heard the lecture of how difficult this year needs to be, so I'm going to skip that." A murmur of appreciation ran through the class and Professor Herondale's eyes twinkled, "We're going straight into our first lesson."

Isabelle and Aline grinned at each other. Both of the girls were relatively good at performing defensive spells, and after a long summer of not being able to use magic, they were more than ready to learn.

"We're going to be learning the inflating jinx. Now, in an actual fight, you would be able to direct this curse at someone, causing them to inflate. It will slow them down, and if your curse is powerful enough, it can cause them to float away.

"For the sake of our safety, we're going to be practicing on inanimate objects, starting with smaller trinkets, then working our way up. To cast your jinx, you flick your wand in an upward motion," He flicked his wrist up, "And say, _Inflatus_. The trick is trying to imagine the objects growing larger and lighter. Now, let me see the hand motions." He watched his class repeat the motions until he felt as though they were able to perform the spell.

He pulled out his wand and flicked his wrist, small baubles appearing on the desks of every student. "These are what you'll be trying to inflate. It'll take time, so don't be discouraged if your object doesn't change shape at first."

Isabelle pulled out her wand and turned excitedly towards her bauble. In front of her sat a small plastic snitch, the kind her father used to bewitch for her to play with when she was younger. Focusing all her attention on the snitch, she flicked her wrist and murmured, "_Inflatus._" The snitch didn't even twitch. She glanced around- everyone seemed to be intently focused on their objects. Professor Herondale wandered about the classroom, offering suggestions to his students. Isabelle turned back to the ball and muttered the spell again. It slightly moved. Just as Isabelle was about to try a third time, the door bust open.

"Tessa?" An unreadable look came over Professor Herondale's face as he took in Professor Grey. Her hair, normally pinned back, was loose and falling in her face. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes wild. She scanned the room, before pushing brown curls out of her face.

"I need to speak with Miss Lightwood."

Isabelle willed her face not to turn red. This was the second time Professor Gray singled her out in class, and she was sure that it was all her classmates would be able to talk about after she left.

As she stood up, Professor Gray added, "You will want to bring your bag and books." Isabelle quickly grabbed her bag, refusing to meet the eye of any other students. She followed Professor Gray into the hallway and tried to keep up with her fast pace.

"Am I in trouble?" Isabelle noticed that they were headed towards Headmaster Branwell's office.

"No, not quite." Professor Gray suddenly stopped and turned towards Isabelle, "Minister Herondale is here to see you."

The Minister was Professor Herondale's aunt, though most people would never guess it. Despite the professor's sarcasm and dark humor, he obviously cared for his students and seemed genuinely concerned about any problems they might have. Minister Herondale, however, ruled with an iron fist. Since she was in office, the laws have become more strict, punishments more cruel. It was said that she once had more of the humor and love that Professor Herondale had, but when her son died fighting Valentine, she hardened into a shell of who she use to be.

"I don't suppose she wants to talk to Professor Herondale, does she?" Isabelle asked in a quiet voice.

"No," Professor Gray sighed, "She wants to question you about your parents involvements in the murder of Karen Jaeil."

Though Isabelle paled, a wave of rage rose through her, "Did she really come all the way here to question me about my parents?"

"I'm afraid so," Professor Grey sighed, "She has already talked to your brothers. It seems as though the charges are more serious than we originally thought."

Isabelle scowled, but allowed Professor Gray to lead her the rest of the way to Headmistress Branwell's office. Isabelle wasn't a stranger to the Headmistress's office. On occasion, a prank that she and Jace coordinated would go astray, resulting in a stern conversation with Branwell. However, Isabelle's stomach filled with dread as Professor Gray knocked on the door of the office. This wasn't just being talked to about a prank; this was an interrogation by the Minister.

"Come in," A cool voice called out, a stark contrast from Headmistress Branwell's warm and familiar one.

Professor Grey glanced at Isabelle, who took a deep breath and nodded. The professor pushed open the doors and the two stepped inside. Standing in the center of the room was a tall, pale woman. A scowl was etched onto her face and her eyes narrowed as they landed on Isabelle.

"Isabelle," Headmistress Branwell stepped forward. Her small frame looked even smaller as the Minister loomed over her, "This is Minister Herondale."

Isabelle smiled pleasantly, "What brings you to Hogwarts, Minister?"  
"I thought it was time that you and I had a little chat," Her face remained impassive as she spoke, "About the recent attacks on muggle-borns."

Despite herself, Isabelle protested, "It was one attack!"

"Indeed," The Minister cooly replied, eyebrows raising, "Yet, there were serious allegations made against your parents. And given their former history, it's my responsibility to ensure that these allegations are checked out."

Isabelle saw Professor Grey and Headmistress Branwell shaking their heads at her. She bit back her response. Fighting with the Minister wouldn't help her parents. Now was not the time to lose her temper.

She sighed, "What do you want to know?"

The Minister waved her wand and a chair appeared behind Isabelle. Sitting down reluctantly, Isabelle looked up into the smirking face of Minister Herondale. "Do you know what your parents plans were the night of the murder?"

"I mean, I obviously wasn't there but I can assume they were with was the first night back at Hogwarts. But, they usually take Max out for a nice dinner since he's always upset that we're at Hogwarts and he's not."

"So, for all you know, they could have gone out into Karen Jaeil's village?"

"Max would have been home alone, and Mum and Dad never leave him home alone."

The Minister's grey eyes narrowed, "Could they have found someone to watch him?"

"I doubt it. Max looks forward to this dinner all year, and they wouldn't take it away from him."

The Minister huffed, realizing she was getting nowhere with that tactic. Isabelle's lips twitched, wanting to smirk. "Have your parents mentioned anyone suspicious lately? Any strange visitors you didn't recognize? Anyone from the former Circle?"  
Isabelle thought about this. Her parents, when not travelling for work, constantly had people, so it wasn't a far fetched question. While they often mentioned people that Isabelle had never met, no unusual names had been mentioned recently. As for anyone from the Circle, her parents made a point to not communicate with anyone from that period in their life. After the war ended and they were given a pardon, Maryse and Robert cut off all ties to their former friends.

"No, no one I can think of."

The Minister's face contorted, "You just don't want to believe that they had anything to do with the murder, do you?"

Though she found the whole thing a little ridiculous, she had been compliant. She couldn't help the anger that began spilling out of her, "_Excuse me?_ No. I don't think my parents are responsible. They gave up that life when they were offered jobs as Aurors. Not once have they given you any reason to believe that they are guilty, aside from an article from the _Prophet_. Unless the ministry is basing their _investigations _off whatever trash any reporter writes you have nothing but proof of their dedication to their jobs to 've been the best Aurors that you've had in years and you know it! I haven't been lying to you and just because I'm not giving you the answers you wanted to hear doesn't mean I'm wrong. I think this whole interrogation is pointless when you have a murderer to look for. And guess what. That murderer is not a member of family."

Minister Herondale's face turned purple and her hands began to shake. Despite this, Isabelle kept her chin raised and gaze leveled. The Minister opened her mouth angrily, but Headmistress Branwell hastily jumped in, "If that's all the questions you have, Imogen, I think it'd be best if Isabelle gets back to class. She already missed a majority of her last class and the start of her current class. We don't want her falling behind in school already."

"Of course," The Minister said tersely, "I do believe that'll be all. For now."

Professor Gray stepped forward and guided Isabelle out of the office, with one hand gripping the younger girls bicep. They two walked down the empty corridors in silence, Professor Gray waiting for Isabelle to cool down.

After a few minutes, Isabelle sighed, "I just made things worse, didn't I?"

"Unfortunately, you have. The Minister doesn't like people to talk back to her."

"I was right, though, wasn't I?" Isabelle looked at Professor Gray, "What I said about my parents was true. I couldn't stand there and just let her talk about them like that."

Professor Gray stared ahead, refusing to meet Isabelle's eyes. "What's your next class?"

"Muggle Studies with Professor Lovelace."

"She's not going to be pleased that you're late. I'll walk you to there."

"Don't you have a class right now?"

"I do," Professor Grey smiled, "But I think the third years can wait. I'm sure they won't mind."

"Can I ask you a question?"  
"Of course."

"Not that I don't appreciate all this, but why are you being so kind to me? I mean, I know that you don't believe that Mum and Dad killed that woman, but you didn't have to stay throughout the questioning and miss your next class."

"I didn't." Professor Gray agreed, finally looking at Isabelle, "But, I know that Minister Herondale can be...a bit much. I didn't want you to go into that alone. I don't want you to think that you have to face this alone. Understand that I want to help and if you ever need to talk, I'll always be available to listen. There are several other teachers that feel the same." She gave Isabelle a small smile, "But, as one of my best students, I thought you may feel more comfortable talking to me."

Isabelle blinked, taken aback by how sincere her professor seemed, "Thank you. Really. I will be sure to come talk to you, if I need to. But, you're acting as though this won't just blow over." Isabelle had said the last sentence in a joking manner, but worry crept into her body when she saw Professor Grey's lips purse together and the color drain from her face. "Professor?"

"Isabelle," The two had made it to Isabelle's classroom, but neither moved to enter, "This was supposed to stay quiet until there was further evidence and a full investigation was performed. But, there's been another death. And," She added as Isabelle opened her mouth, "The body was found in the exact condition that the first body was in."

Isabelle's dark eyes widened, a shaky hand covered her mouth. "And they still think that my parents killed this person?"

"They had the 'L' cut into their wrists."

"But...but...my parents have been at home. With Max. They just wrote to me. They wouldn't."

"Isabelle" Professor Grey put a hand on the panicking girl's shoulder, "I know. But, to the Ministry and the Aurors, your parents have been locked in their house. They could have easily apparated into the victim's village. The investigation, unfortunately, is far from over."

* * *

Jace was not having a good Monday. Like Isabelle, his talk with the Minister had not gone very well. She had taken an immediate dislike to his sarcastic answers, disdain worn clearly on her face as she interrogated him. After 10 tense minutes, he had ended up storming out of the office in a fit of anger, making sure to slam the door hard behind him on his way out. Then, Jace made the mistake of going to History of Magic. He wasn't paying attention to the lecture, as he was too busy worrying about his adoptive parents, so when Professor Starkweather asked him a simple question about the Goblin Wars, Jace was unable to answer it. The snickers of his classmates and Starkweather's disappointed face worsened Jace's already dark mood.

As he made his way up the Astronomy tower, he decided that he needed to have a meeting with Alec and Isabelle after his classes. Jace, caught up in his thoughts, didn't see the small body walking his way and crashed into her, spilling both of their books and quills on the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" A familiar voice exclaimed, as the girl began bent down to retrieve her books.

A slow smirk settled on his face, "Ah, Clary. I know I'm incredibly attractive but there are other ways to get my attention than running into me."

Clary looked up, red curls falling in front of her face. Her cheeks grew pink but she replied steadily, "Please. I wasn't distracted by you. Simon was in the middle of telling me an incredibly interesting story." Simon gave Jace a smug smirk.

"Though I'm sure your conversation was _riveting_, it can't nearly be as captivating as I am." Jace's words, which normally would have been taken in a joking manner, came off much sharper than he intended. He grimaced when Clary raised her brows, quickly picking up the rest of her books.

"See you around," She said with a tight smile, before brushing past him.

"Wait," Jace grabbed her arm before she was out of reach, swinging her back around to face him. He ignored Simon scowling at him, "Look, that came out worse than I meant it to. I'm just..." He raked his fingers through his hair as he thought about his morning, "It's just been a rough morning."

Clary's eyes softened, "I'm sorry about your day. But someone as _captivating_ as yourself should know better than to take their bad day out on other people, especially my best friend." She gently tugged her arm out of Jace's grasp, "Now, excuse me, I have to get to Potions."

"Who do you have Potions with?"

Clary crinkled her nose at the question but answered, "The Slytherins. Why?"

He ignored her question and answered with his own, "So, Isabelle is in your class?"

"Yes."

"Will you please tell her that I need to talk with her at lunch?"

If she found anything strange about the request, she didn't say anything. Maybe it was the pleading tone Jace's voice had taken way, Clary simply nodded before turning back to walk with Simon, who shot Jace another glare over his shoulder.

With a sigh, Jace turned and trudged to his Astronomy class. On a good day, Jace would be interested and engaged in what Professor Gladstone had to say. Today was not that day. For the hour and a half of class, his mind wandered, and he alternated from staring out the window and doodling on a piece of parchment paper. He was too distracted to notice the worried looks that Professor Gladstone continuously shot him throughout the class. Once class ended, Jace rushed out the room, eager to meet with his siblings for lunch.

Jace walked quickly in the corridors, brushing past the younger students and some of his friends who tried to talk to him. He paused in the doors of the Great Hall, scanning the Slytherin table for either Alec or Isabelle. He sighed with relief upon seeing Isabelle sitting near the end of the table, away from her housemates. Though it wasn't a formal rule, students almost never sat at any other table aside from their own house's. Walking over to Isabelle, Jace decided he didn't give a damn if the other students whispered about it. He needed to speak with his family and he wouldn't let anything get in the way of that.

"Well that was a shit morning," Isabelle stated as Jace plopped down across from her, "And did you really have to use Clary as a messenger? I don't think you're going to get in her good graces that way. Girls don't enjoy being used owls."

Jace ignored the last sentence "It seemed like the best way to get the message across. And you're telling me." The two sat in silence, waiting for Alec to show up. After a few minutes, Alec walked into the Great Hall, gave the pair a questioning look, but sat next to Isabelle.

"Are we having a family meeting?" Alec asked, grabbing a handful of grapes from the nearest bowl.

"No, we're braiding each other's hair and gossiping about boys," Isabelle deadpanned. She paused, biting her lip, "Please tell me that your talks with the Minister went better than mine."

Alec's eyes widened, "Mine went fine. Isabelle, what happened in yours?"

She cast a desperate glance to Jace. He shook his head, "Hey, don't look at me, Iz. Minister Herondale and I didn't exactly end of on a pleasant note."

"What did you two do?" Alec groaned, ignoring the plates of food in front of him to give his siblings an incredulous look.

Isabelle looked sheepish, but Jace could still see a glimmer of pride in her eyes, "I may have told her off for accusing our parents."

Jace smirked. Good. The Minister had been in dire need of someone letting her know how presumptuous she sounded. "Isabelle, you didn't." Alec's face had paled, "She's the Minister."

"I don't care," Suddenly, the sheepish look was gone as she lifted her chin, dark eyes flashing, "She had no right to have that type of attitude, and I don't care if she is the Minister or just a shopkeeper. I'm not letting her try to pin the murders on Mum and Dad."

Alec rounded on Jace, "And what did you do?"

"The Minister didn't like my tone. I didn't like hers." He scowled, "I ended up storming out in the middle of the questioning. The whole thing was bullshit."

Isabelle grinned, "So that's why she was so pissy when I went in. Good for you, Jace."

Alec put his head in his hands; he was pretty sure his siblings were put on this earth to test his patience. "Guys, this isn't good. She could take it out on Mum and Dad or try to somehow interfere with the investigation." He looked up, a small spark of hope shining in his light eyes, "At least this will all be over soon."

As Jace began to nod, he noticed that Isabelle had suddenly become quite interested in rearranging her peas. "Isabelle, what do you know?"

She looked up, pale and nervous. She _hmm-_ed and _hah_-ed for a few minutes before blurting out, "The investigation might not be as close to being over as we think."

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

"Professor Gray told me that there was another body found." Her words were rushed, "His name is Henry Monte. He was a half-blood, killed in the same manner that Karen was. Stabbed with an 'L' carved into his wrist. Apparently, it just happened and _The Prophet _hasn't broke the story yet. Professor Gray told me so that we wouldn't be caught off guard when it was reported"

Dread ran through Jace. Another body? The dread was replaced by disgust as he thought about the way the victims were being killed. Valentine and his Circle had refused to use spells to kill their victims. He believed that the non-pure were undeserving of their magic and should die like common muggles. The fact that the murderer was using the exact method that his parents had used worried Jace more than he let on. Though it was common knowledge that each member of the Circle left some little mark on their victim, the public was never told how the members killed their victims. Each family had a certain method, from stabbing like the Lightwoods, to strangulation. The murderer clearly knew something that had been kept secret, trying to make Mum and Dad look suspicious.

"But," Alec was saying when Jace rejoined the conversation, "They told you that they were staying inside the house."

Isabelle scoffed and rolled her eyes, "The Minister hasn't seen head or tail of them. Our house isn't on lock-down yet, so they could still apparate out. She thinks one, or both of them apparated to Henry Monte's village and killed him."

Jace felt like his head was swimming, "So what are they going to do?"

"I don't know." Isabelle shrugged, "Professor Gray only knows so much." The three of them sat in dismayed silence, the happy chatter of students washing over them.

Alec cleared his throat, "Do you know when Monte's death will be reported?"

Isabelle shook her head, "No. It could be tomorrow or in a week. I'd think they'd write about it sooner rather than later, though."

"We need to stick together," Jace leaned towards his siblings.

"He's right," Isabelle glanced around the Hall, "After the last article, the news spread like wildfire. I think we've all experienced how everyone reacted after the first article. People are only going to get worse after the second report."

Jace rubbed his face. The gossip didn't bother him that much; he knew that his parents weren't guilty. But knowing that there was already a second murder, he could tell that this wasn't just going to blow over. Isabelle perked up slightly, "We'll get through this. We're Lightwoods. We can get through this." The three looked at each other, hesitant smiles growing on their faces, feeling a tad more confident about the upcoming year. They began to eat the food on their plates, resuming a conversation that didn't involve their parents and they could almost pretend that it nothing was wrong. Almost.

* * *

Simon spent the most of the day looking for Isabelle in between classes. He couldn't help himself. After Isabelle was abruptly taken out of their Defense Against the Dark Arts class and didn't return, Simon was worried that something else had happened with her parents.

"Looking for someone?" Clary teased on their way to dinner. She noticed how Simon swiveled his head as they walked, trying to look into the faces of everyone they passed.

"Am I that obvious?"

Clary had to choke back a laugh. Only Simon would be that oblivious to himself. "Yeah, a bit. Who are you looking for?". Simon turned red and rubbed the back of his head. Simon didn't see Clary raise her eyebrows as he sheepishly looked at the ground. "Simon! Who is it?"

He looked up, "Isabelle Lightwood."

Clary tried not to gape at him. Despite her talk with the girl, Isabelle's friends ran in completely different circles from hers and Simon's. On top of that, she had never heard Simon actually talk about her. Clary had to wonder if Isabelle even knew who Simon was. "I...see? Why are you searching for her?"

He scowled at the ground, "It doesn't matter."

"No, I'm sorry. I just didn't know you two were friends."

Simon scrunched up his face, "I don't know if I'd call us friends, Clary."

"Okay, then why do you need to see her?"

"I just need to talk to her."

"About?" Clary couldn't help herself. Since she was a child, Clary's curiosity had always gotten the best of her. Her "besetting sin" her mother had always called it. And now with Simon keeping secrets about being friends with Isabelle Lightwood, her curiosity was insatiable.

"It doesn't matter," Simon reiterated, returning his gaze to the faces of students heading towards dinner. He couldn't explain why he didn't want to tell Clary about Isabelle being pulled out of class. After all, Clary was the one who tried to warn her about the article in the papers. But, something about this felt different. Clary wasn't in the room when it happened and this felt personal. If he were Isabelle, he didn't think he would want more people knowing about the incident than those who already knew. Even if Simon told Clary, she'd probably brush it off and tell him to stop worrying, it's not his problem. But Simon wanted to hear that from Isabelle, to make sure she was okay. Clary narrowed her green eyes but said nothing. The two walked into the Great Hall in a cool silence.

"There she is," Clary flatly said, pointing to the Slytherin table. And there Isabelle was. She was sitting next to Aline and a few other girls, laughing and seeming genuinely happy. Simon let out a relieved breath and turned to thank Clary, but she was already stalking away from him. One of her hands was curled in a fist on the strap of her bag.

Great. Now he managed to piss off his best friend. At least he could focus on dinner rather than continue to search for . Though, he tried to talk with his friends and focus on the conversation, his eyes and mind kept drifting back to Isabelle. She seemed fine, but he had seen the reaction she had after the _Prophet _incident, how upset she had gotten. Though Simon didn't fully understand it, he felt compelled to check on her. Throughout dinner, he kept one eye on her, wanting to try and catch her before she disappeared in her Common Room for the night. When Isabelle and one of her friend stood up, bading farewell to her friends at the table, Simon quickly swallowed the last bite of his pumpkin pie and got up, throwing a hasty goodbye to his friends. When Simon caught up to the girls in the corridor, the two were giggling together, oblivious of his presence.

Isabelle turned after he tapped her on the shoulder, still smiling from something her friend said. When she saw Simon, her smile tightened but remained. "Yes?"

Suddenly face to face with her, Simon felt a wave of anxiety run through him, "Can I speak to you...alone?"

Isabelle cast a glance at her blonde friend, "Go ahead, Angelique. I'll be there in a minute." Angelique nodded, shooting a curious glance at Simon before turning and proceeding down the corridor. Isabelle looked back at Simon expectantly, eyebrows raised.

"I just...I wanted to see how you were doing." Simon looked at the floor, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Isabelle cocked her head, dark hair falling forward, "I'm fine?"

"I was there in Defense Against the Dark Arts," Her eyes were suddenly cast to the floor, red creeping into her cheeks, "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"Why?" Isabelle suddenly looked up, her eyes narrowed into slits, "We're not friends. You barely know me. Why do you care?"

"I was there after Clary showed you _the Prophet. _I saw how shaken up you were, even if you try to deny it. I don't care about gossip and I'm not trying be an asshole to you, like some other people. I honestly just wanted to see if you were okay."

Isabelle looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. When she finally did, her face was cool and composed, "I'm fine. Thank you. Now please excuse me, I have to get back to Angelique." With that, she turned and headed down the corridor, not once looking back. Simon sighed and began to walk to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Everything that Isabelle said was true but he couldn't help himself. He knew that he wouldn't be able to stop worrying about her anytime soon.

* * *

Of course, the news on Henry Monte's death wasn't kept quiet for long. Once the students caught wind of the second murder, their whispers about the Lightwood family were louder and less contained. Some of the professors had grouped together and decided to keep an eye on the Lightwood children, to make sure that everything wasn't getting to them. Magnus Bane was one of those professors.

He tried to convince himself that it was out of the kindness of his heart. He used the excuse that he wanted them to stay focused for their exams. He tried to tell himself that it was because he knew their parents and, despite not liking Maryse or Robert in particular, he felt like it was his duty to watch out for their kids.

None of those were untrue per say, but they certainly weren't the driving force of why he wanted to help. No. Magnus wanted to help because he liked them. Was drawn to them.

Okay, so he wasn't drawn to all three of them, but he did like them all. Isabelle Lightwood, who was nowhere near becoming the next Potions Master, yet she threw herself into every lesson, damned if she wasn't going to at least try to create similar to what he had instructed. Then there was Jace Wayland. Arrogant, sarcastic, but surprisingly good at brewing complex. He would make a good teacher if he learned to curb his attitude.

Finally, there was Alec Lightwood. Magnus, deep down, knew that he the reason he was invested in the Lightwood family was because of Alec. The quiet boy with brilliant blue eyes. Magnus found himself drawn to the boy, looking for him during dinner, in the corridors, in his class. Every smile that Magnus saw from the boy made his heart lurch.

_But_, a small voice in whispered every time Magnus caught himself staring,_ he's just a boy. And you're his professor._ Which was true. Even though Alec was nearly of age, Magnus knew that Charlotte would not react kindly to his attraction to the eldest Lightwood. No. Magnus would just have to keep it under control.


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, it's been a long time. I'm so sorry for the delay! I just started my first year at college and my beta is in the same position, so the updates might be kind of slow for a little bit. However, I will continue to write as often as I can and promise to try to update more often! Thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed/favorited/or even just read this and thank you so much to my fantastic editor, Mandy, for not killing me over dumb mistakes. Thank you!**

* * *

Isabelle fell into a routine during the next few weeks at Hogwarts. As much as she denied her parents' involvement in the murders, the situation continued to get worse. The slander continued, her fellow students grew more hostile to the Lightwoods, so she kept her head down. She went to her classes, throwing herself in her studies. She ate with Alec and Aline, the distance growing between her and her old friends steadily as each new article was written. She held her head high walking through the corridors, hearing every unpleasant whisper about her or her family. Every word stung and there were days that all her energy was spent holding back tears. She refused to let anyone break her. Most especially over garbage being written in the Daily Prophet.

She slowly started to avoid Simon too, however, it wasn't for the reason that she avoided everyone else. He never gave her dirty looks or murmured to his friends about what the _Prophet _had just written about her family. Instead, he gave her looks of sympathy when someone made a particularly snide comment and could be found glaring at those who glared at her. Isabelle was sure he was doing more, but she didn't want to know about any of it. She didn't need or want any of his help.

"You have to give him some credit," Aline whispered to her in Defense Against the Darks Arts class, frantically scribbling down notes.

"What?" Isabelle said, trying to both listen to her friend and listen to Professor Henrondale's lecture.

"Simon," Aline looked up from her notes long enough to give her an exasperated look, "Hallie Frisken has been glaring at you for the past 20 minutes and Simon's been giving her the dirtiest look."

Isabelle refused to look back at him, "So? This isn't his problem and I don't know why he's still is trying to help. I made it perfectly clear that we were fine without him."

"That's what makes it impressive. Even after you told him that, he's still is trying."

Still, Simon never approached her. He gave her the distance that she desired and, despite her annoyance with him, she was grateful for that.

* * *

"Iz, we need to get you out of this common room." Isabelle looked up to see Alec and Aline standing above her, arms crossed.

Setting her Divination homework on the chair's armrest, Isabelle replied, "Why? I leave here plenty."

Alec and Aline exchanged a look, brows raised and Isabelle scowled at their ability to coexist while ganging up on her, "You leave for classes and for meals."

"And to go to the library."

Alec rolled his eyes, "Isabelle. You need to get out. Get fresh air. Socialize."

"Which is why," Aline cut in, excitement dancing in her brown eyes, "You're going to come to Hogsmeade with me and Jace tomorrow."

Isabelle pushed some hair out of her face. It was true. She really hadn't been going out of the common room aside from classes and the occasional chat with Professor Gray. Finally, she smiled, her scowl melting off as she spoke, "Of course I'll go with you guys. The real question is why aren't you going, Alec?"

A light blushed colored his cheeks, "I'm in staying in to work on my homework."

Isabelle narrowed her eyes, catching his blush. She briefly wondered if this had anything to do with Professor Bane, but the thought left just as quickly as it had come. As the three fell into a light conversation about how the other houses' quidditch teams were shaping up, Isabelle felt the tension from the past few weeks slowly ease away. Maybe Alec and Aline were right. Maybe this trip would do her some good.

* * *

Isabelle spent the rest of the week in an excited tizzy. She was ready to get out of the confining castle walls and spend time shopping. When the day finally arrived, Jace met Aline and Isabelle in the Great Hall. He greeted his sister with a warm smile, "Izzy, it's nice to finally see you not rushing to class and your room.."  
Isabelle nudged him with her shoulder, muttering "Shut up, Jace,", but she said it with a smile and a quick hug.

The trio began their walk to Hogsmeade, surrounded by other excited students. No one paid any attention to Jace or Isabelle; everyone was too busy enjoying their freedom. Whether it was the fact that this was the first trip out of the year or the excitement of Halloween coming up, something was in the air, and all the students could feel it. Everyone seemed more relaxed and laughter filled the cool September air.

"Alright, where do we go first?" Jace asked once they arrived in the now crowded town.

Isabelle looked around, taking in Hogsmeade. Despite living in a town where magic was common, there was something special about Hogsmeade. Something that set it apart from any other Wizarding town that she had ever been to. She knew it was silly, but she always felt like there was somehow more magic in Hogsmeade than there was anywhere else, aside from maybe Hogwarts.

Grinning impishly, Aline answered, "We need to go to Honeydukes. The supply of sweets I brought from home is running dangerously low. I'm pretty sure someone else has been getting into it." Isabelle laughed as Aline gave her a pointed look.

"You leave it out right next to my bed. How do you expect me to resist?" Isabelle teased as the they meandered down the busy road.

"Don't worry Aline," Jace added, "It's not just you. She steals Max's candy when he's not looking. Her sweet tooth is out of control."

Isabelle gasped, giggles ruining the facade of seriousness, "Jace, don't you dare try to pin that on me. All of us know that you're the one who steals his candy! Max won't say anything because he idolizes you."

Jace smirked, confirming her accusation. "Maybe we should get him some candy. Some Fizzing Whisbees and chocolate frogs."

Isabelle nodded, muttering, "Poor kid probably needs some sweets to cheer him up."

Aline, who had been walking slightly in front of Jace and Isabelle, suddenly whipped around, grinning wildly, "That's exactly what we should do!"

Isabelle and Jace exchanged a wary glance. "What should we do?"

"Collect gifts for your parents, like a gift basket. Izzy, you said that they're being forced to stay at home, right?"

"More or less, yeah." Isabelle shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with the sudden shift in conversation.

Aline shrugged, "Well, if they have to stay at home as much as possible, I'm sure that when they go out to get food and stuff, they're just getting the necessities. They'd probably appreciate a basket full of sweets and gifts."

Jace stared at her, his mouth slightly open, "Aline, that's a brilliant idea!" Aline beamed. Though the Lightwoods were not her biological family, she couldn't stand the idea that Robert and Maryse were trapped in their own house. The thought of them and Max suffering broke her heart and she was ready to do whatever she could to help them.

Aline turned to Isabelle, trying to gauge a reaction. Over the past few weeks, Aline noticed her best friend's quiet change in demeanor. Isabelle had shut down. The loud, fun girl that Aline had grown up with slowly grew more withdrawn and proud. She held her head high in the corridors but never confronted the unpleasant rumors and whispers. Aline could tell that Isabelle was taking this harder than her siblings. Alec and Jace, of course, were concerned with the accusation and for their family but they were confident that everything would blow over shortly. Isabelle seemed less assured.

Relief ran through Aline when Isabelle smiled, "Yeah, I'm sure they would be happy to hear from us and know we were thinking of them."

Jace, Aline, and Isabelle now walked into Honeydukes with a purpose, each setting out to find the favorite sweets of Maryse, Robert, and Max Lightwood. Isabelle went to the chocolate section to pick up cauldron cakes, as Jace searched for the licorice wands and peppermint humbugs that his adoptive father was particularly fond of. Aline was in charge of getting Max's treats; she picked up the Fizzing Whisbees, Bertie Bott's beans, a few chocolate frogs, and some of Drooble's bubblegum.

When they finished collecting their various sweets, they left the store, all wearing large smiles. Adjusting his grip on the bag of sweets, Jace said, "I don't think our owl will be able to carry all of this."

"Maybe we can find a teacher that'll let us Floo it over?" Isabelle offered, beginning to regret not thinking through the delivery process. She didn't want the sweets to go to waste, especially now that she thought about how happy this would make Max and her parents.

Aline groaned, "That never even crossed my mind. Isabelle, you should ask Professor Gray. She might let you." Isabelle nodded absently, chewing on her lip.

"Oh!" Jace's voice pulled Isabelle out of her thoughts, "We should stop into Tomes and Stones. I'm sure since Mum and Dad can't go into work, they're burning through rolls of parchment for letters for work."

Tomes and Stones was a smaller shop, tucked away at the corner next to The Three Broomsticks, which was filled with content customers. "Why don't you two go grab a table? I can run in and get the quills," Isabelle offered, knowing that it could take Jace and Aline a while to find an available table. Jace raised his eyebrows but nodded, disappearing with Aline into the crowd of people.

Walking into the bookshop, Isabelle breathed in the familiar scent of ink and parchment, bringing her back to the library at home. A smile tugged on her lips, memories of her and her brother's lessons coming to mind. Though they hadn't had a formal education before Hogwarts, Maryse and Robert had wanted their children to be well-educated, hiring tutors to teach Alec, Jace, and Isabelle's about anything and everything that they deemed important; history, politics, geography. Isabelle wandered down an aisle at random, unfamiliar with the shop's layout. Examining the items on the shelves carefully, she paid little attention to where she was walking, accidently running into a tall body.

"Sorry," Isabelle mumbled, stepping out of the body's way, looking down at a pair of weirdly familiar shoes.

"No worries, Miss Lightwood," A deep, familiar voice replied. Looking up, Isabelle found herself looking into Professor Herondale's dark blue eyes, which twinkled with amusement, "You seemed pretty absorbed in those shelves, I should have moved out of your way."

Isabelle smiled, "I'm not quite familiar with this store's layout."

"What are you looking for?"

"Some nicer quills and parchment. For my parents."

Professor Herondale led her a little further down the aisle, before pausing in front of a display of quills. Isabelle scanned her options before picking a blood red quill and a beautiful glossy black quill. "Thank you, Professor. I'm sure I can find the rest of the supplies by myself."

Professor Herondale smiled warmly at Isabelle, "Of course." Hesitating, he added in an undertone, "And, if you ever need to talk, my office door is always open."

Though she appreciated the gesture, Isabelle's cheeks burned red. It was one thing for Professor Gray to worry about her, but for Professor Herondale, whom she never had a real conversation with outside of class, to offer to chat with her about her parents was a completely different story. She forced a smiled before he walked away, dropping it as soon as his back was turned.

Once Professor Herondale was out of her sight, Isabelle strolled back down the aisle, carefully examining the products, taking her time. If she was going to send a gifts back home, she wanted them to be perfect. Along with fresh parchment, Isabelle found a book for her father on the history of Wizard law. Going all the way back to her early childhood, she could remember her father's long winded lectures on the Law, and she reasoned that he would enjoy, or at least get a kick out of the book. Turning the corner to purchase the book, she was shocked to see Professor Gray, standing at the counter and laughing with the sandy haired man behind it. Professor Herondale who was standing next to Gray and engaged in a conversation with the silver haired Professor Castairs, nodded at Isabelle.

"Excuse me, Tessie," The man murmured to Professor Gray, the smile never leaving his lips, "Hello! Did you find everything alright?" he asked, directing the question towards Isabelle.

Refusing to look at Professor Herondale, Isabelle nodded politely, "I did, thank you."

Upon hearing Isabelle's voice, Professor Gray whirled around, "Isabelle! I'm so glad to see you!" Isabelle smiled at her, knowing that Professor Gray was happy to see her out of the castle. "Isabelle, this is my brother Nate," She gestured towards the man behind the counter, "Nate, this is Isabelle Lightwood, the one I was telling you about."

Isabelle's heart sunk. Though the news about her family was public, Isabelle didn't expect her favorite professor to be gossiping about her to her family. Nate, as though sensing her discomfort, gave Isabelle a warm smile, "She was just telling me how you're one of the best in your class at Transfiguration. Tessie said you have a strong gift in the subject."

Glancing towards Professor Gray, who beamed back at her, Isabelle felt her lips lift into a genuine smile. "Well, I wouldn't be where I am without Professor Gray."

Nate smiled, his cheeks dimpling, "How about I check your purchases out?" The goods were bought, and money quickly traded. Isabelle said her goodbyes to her professors and Nate before heading to the Three Broomsticks, slightly happier than when she left Hogwarts as Nate's words of praise danced around her head.. Scanning the Broomstick's seating area, cheeks pink from the bitter wind, it only took her a few seconds to find Jace. He was seated at a table with Clary and Simon, Aline nowhere to be seen. Simon seemed annoyed and out of place. He played with the mug sitting in front of him and kept shooting glares at the other two. Clary and Jace, oblivious to Simon, were leaning towards each other, engrossed in their conversation. Isabelle catalogued their position, making sure to remember to tease Jace at a later date.

Taking a deep breath, Isabelle lifted her head and sat across the table from Simon.

Surprise passed briefly on the Hufflepuff's face before he offered her a small smile, which she returned, "Where is Aline?"

"She left a while ago to chat with Helen Blackthorn." Isabelle glanced around the bar before finding Aline wrapped in a conversation with the pretty Hufflepuff.

"I see. And how long have they been ignoring you?" Isabelle gestured to Jace and Clary.

Simon scowled, brown eyes hardening, "The past 10 minutes." Isabelle glanced at the pair. Jace hadn't even acknowledged that she had sat down. "Isabelle," Simon hesitated, waiting for her to meet his unsure gaze, "If I somehow offended you the other week...I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention."

Isabelle dropped her gaze to the table, tracing the wood patterns with her index finger, "I know. I also know that I came off a lot more harshly than I had intended. But," She raised her eyes, "Even though I appreciate your efforts, I want to keep everything within the family. You understand, right?"

He nodded, "Right, and I get that. I just figured it'd be nice to know that you have some support, especially when dealing with other students. And, I don't know if Clary has said anything, but she feels the same way. Just let me or Clary know if there is anything we can do to help."

Isabelle felt touched and warmed that even though the she hadn't had much of a relationship with Clary or Simon prior to this year, they still were watching out for her and her siblings. An idea suddenly struck her, making her grin with excitement, "Actually, I do have an idea for how you can help me."

* * *

An hour into his studies, Alec began to regret his decision to stay at Hogwarts. He knew that he needed to spend a day in the library, away from any distractions, and just hunker down and finish his essays. But, when visions of warm butterbeer filled his mind, it was hard to convince himself that he had made the right choice.

"Do you ever have any fun?"

Alec looked up at Professor Bane's looming figure, "Yes, of course I do. It's not my fault that I've been assigned so much work this early in the year.." the words spilled out his mouth without his brain processing them.

"That may be true," Professor Bane said, seating himself next to Alec, "But, you are the only person in the library that's not a 3rd year or younger."

Alec glanced around. Professor Bane spoke the truth. Most of the students who were truly swamped with homework, the 5th years and 7th years, had chosen to go to the village, allowing themselves one day of freedom. Defensively, Alec retorted, "I needed to get my work done."

"And I'm not denying that," Bane replied, fingers skimming through the pages of a book, a small smile was just barely visible on his lips. "But, I've only seen you at meals, classes, and in the library." Alec's heart gave an involuntary jump at the thought of Bane looking for him or noticing where he was. "I mean," he added, "When I was a 7th year, I jumped at every opportunity to not do my homework. Parties, Hogsmeade, clubs...you name it, I was a part of it."

"And how did you do on the N.E.W.T.s?"

Bane grinned, white teeth flashing, "Nothing below an Exceeds Expectations. Then again, I wasn't trying to be an Auror." After a pause, he continued, "If I may ask, why do you want to be an Auror?"

Alec choose his words carefully, not wanting Bane to get the wrong impression, "I think I've always wanted to be one. I mean, I grew up watching my Mum and Dad capture the bad guys. They made the world a better place. Of course, once I got older, I learned that it was much more complicated and difficult than what I had thought, but still. I want to help people and do something good for the world.."

"Mhm," Professor Bane hummed, steepling his fingers under his chin, Alec noted a collection of various thin and thick silver rings on his fingers, they winked at him even in the dim library lighting. "How very noble of you."

Desperate to change the subject away from himself, Alec asked, "And you? How'd you decide to be a teacher?"

"What?" Professor Bane laughed loudly, earning himself a glare from Madame Montclaire, "You don't think that I've wanted to be a teacher since I was a kid? No, for a long time I didn't really know what I wanted to be in my life. I had a knack for Potions though. But, I knew I didn't really want to work in the medical field, so Professor Townsend, the head of my house, recommended looking into teaching. It was well known that Professor Nightshade was retiring soon. After talking with Headmaster Branwell and Nightshade, I figured it could be a good career path. I haven't looked back since."

Curiosity got the best of Alec, "Wait a second, Professor Nightshade just retired. When did you finish school?"

Sheepishly, Bane mumbled, if pressed Alec might say there was a blush spreading on the professor's face. "About 3 years ago."

Alec stared at him, "So you were at school when I was a 4th year? Why don't I remember you?"

Professor Bane shrugged, "Because I was a 7th year? Because I was a Ravenclaw? I would be very shocked if our paths had crossed at all when I was a student."

Alec thought hard, trying to remember the man. Surely he would have remembered such an impressive, not to mention, attractive, person. "Oh!" Alec gasped suddenly as a faint memory moved to the front of his mind, "You're _Magnus Bane_! Jace mentioned going to one of your parties once."

Bane flicked his bright eyes down towards the table, "He must have snuck in. There is no way that I would have voluntarily invited a 3rd year Gryffindor to one of my parties."

Alec leaned back in his chair. Not knowing Bane's age had made it easier for him to shrug off his attraction as something fleeting, something that would never happen. But this? This was bad. 3 years wasn't that big of a difference- hell, they had gone to school together at a certain point.

_No,_ he thought, _He's still your teacher. Even if he's closer to you in age, it will never happen. He is Professor Bane, not Magnus. Not someone you could ever have a chance with_.

Trying to keep the conversation going, Alec asked, "So, what did you do after Hogwarts, if this is your first year teaching?"

A wistful smile graced Bane's lips, "I traveled. Charlotte- Headmistress Branwell, had connections with the Headmasters from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. They graciously let me stay for a few months and view how they taught classes. After that, I visited Ireland and Germany. I didn't really have a purpose, but still. It was nice."

"That sounds incredible," Alec breathed.

Bane smiled at him, "It was. If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend it. My one regret is never going to America. Tessa, Professor Gray, was born in New York, and she speaks highly of it. Had Professor Nightshade not retired, I'd probably be there now."

Alec, selfishly, was glad that Professor Bane had not gone to America. The two of the remained in the library for the next few hours, getting to know each other, Alec's essay forgotten as they discussed literature, beautiful fields in Ireland and danced quickly around the topic of family, the older man didn't say much, but Alec tucked away the knowledge that he was an only child, another fact for his growing collection.

Upon hearing the voices of students returning from Hogsmeade, Bane glanced at his watch, "I think it's time for me to leave, so you can finish your essay. I've wasted the past few hours for you. Next time I see you, I hope it's not finishing more homework."

As Bane got up and turned to leave, Alec asked, "If you're so against the library, why were you here?"

Bane hesitated before turning to face the dark-haired boy, "Tessa had asked me to pick up a book for her.I should get it and bring it to her office before she returns. Have a good day, Alec."

Alec couldn't help but let his eyes stray to the fluttering ends of his Professor's robes as the man walked away, leaving behind only the smell of sandalwood and a tight feeling in Alec's stomach.

Picking up his quill and pulling his essay back towards him, Alec replayed their conversation over and over again in his head. When Isabelle burst into the library a half hour later, he was still sitting in a daze, essay untouched.

"Alec!" She cried, cheeks pink and dark eyes shining, "There you are!"

Alec blinked. After a few short hours at Hogsmeade, Isabelle seemed like her old, excitable self. He smiled, "Here I am."

"I've been looking for you. Listen. Jace, Aline, and I had the most brilliant idea. Guess!" Before he was able to answer, Isabelle exclaimed, "We're making a care package for Mum, Dad, and Max! We bought all the gifts."

"Oh?" Alec leaned back in his chair, impressed, "What did you get them?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes, but smiled, "It's all in the Common Room. We're putting it together tonight. But, we got them sweets, and books, and quills. Simon had the idea to get Mum and Dad a bottle of firewhiskey and some butterbeer, in case they're unable to go out and get some."

Alec raised his eyebrows. Last he heard of Simon, Isabelle had grumbled about him and how he should mind his business. Cautiously, Alec replied, "That sounds great, Iz. I'm sure they'll love it." She beamed, "You said Simon helped?"

Her smile diminished a bit, "Yeah. Jace ran into Clary and him at the Three Broomsticks. You know how Jace has been around Clary for the past few weeks." Alec thought of the praise that Jace talked of her and how much he's been trying to show off to her with a clenched heart. "Aline had found Helen, so I was pretty much on my own. But, Simon was there, and we talked, and I decided to let him help. He's not as bad as I thought, Alec."

Alec hid his smile. Aline and he had discussed the boy, thinking that Isabelle had overreacted. Part of him had pitied Simon, knowing that it was damn near impossible to get back on Isabelle's good side once she decided she didn't like you. "I'm glad to hear it, Isabelle."

"And since you decided to be boring all day, you are required to come help us put together the care package," Isabelle tugged on Alec's hand, forcing him to stand. "Alec! You hardly wrote anything! What were you doing the whole time?"

Alec thought back to his conversation with Professor Bane, a small smile forming on his lips. Shoving his school work into his bag, Alec replied, "I was, ah...distracted."

"You know," Isabelle said as they walked back to their Common Room, "You're eventually going to have to tell me who this distraction is."

Alec laughed and nudged her with his shoulder, but said nothing.

* * *

Tessa Gray sat in her office, pouring over one of the books that Will had recommended to her. She had needed a break from teaching and dealing with her students, and today had been just that. After seeing Nate and being able to spend the whole day with Will and Jem, Tessa couldn't stop smiling.

"Tessa!" Magnus burst into her office, bright green eyes flashing, "Tessa, how are you?"  
She stared at the man who had just flung himself into the chair across from her, a slight giggle entering her voice as she replied, "I'm well, and you?"  
"Fine, fine" He waved his hand, silver rings flashing, "Have you heard any news about Robert and Maryse's case?"

Tessa sighed, her mood already deflating, and ran a pale hand through her hair, "Nothing new, no. The Ministry is still looking into the murders and the Lightwoods are still under house arrest."

He shook his head, "You're quite close to the younger Lightwood- Isabelle, yes? How is she holding up?"

"She's stubborn," Tessa thought back to their meetings, "She refuses to admit how much this is hurting her. But, already, she's receding into herself. You may not notice anything since this is your first year, but I started teaching when she was a 1st year. She's always been so vocal, so energetic. Now... now she barely speaks. Even when we have tea together, it takes so much coaxing to get her to say anything."

"And the other Lightwoods?"

She shook her head, "I don't know them well enough to say. Jace is still quite vocal in class and doesn't seem much changed by the news. Maybe a bit more wary towards his fellow students? I'd ask Will. Jace is incredibly talented at Defense Against the Dark Arts and if there is a teacher he'd be close to, it'd be Will. As for Alec, the boy's always been quiet. But, again, he doesn't seem quite as affected."

Magnus sighed, "I just can't believe some professors are actually treating them differently."

Tessa thought to Jessamine, the Muggle Studies professor, "Some are taking the deaths of the muggleborns close to heart. It's not right for them to take it out on the Lightwood children, but it is a touchy subject for them."  
"Still," Magnus angrily muttered.

Tessa searched her friend's face, "What's the matter, Magnus? Something else is bothering you. What is it?"

Magnus's eyes shifted from her face to the wall behind her, "Nothing, Tessa."

"Magnus Bane," He focused on her again, "What's going on?"

Letting out a sigh, he said, "I think I might..like somone. Someone," He added, when he saw the grin growing on the brunette's face, "That I shouldn't like."

"Why?" His friend's grin didn't fade, "Does this person not fancy men?"

Miserably, Magnus muttered, "I don't even know."

Furrowing her brow, Tessa said, "That doesn't sound like you. You're so out-there and unafraid. Who is it, Magnus? Why can't you just ask them."  
Suddenly, Magnus exploded. He paced around Tessa's small office, hands running through his dark hair, making it messier than it already was, "Because, Tessa, I can't ask him. I can't and it's so wrong of me to even be attracted to him. I shouldn't be looking for him in the corridors and searching for him when I'm not teaching. I _can't _like him, but I do. I do. And under normal circumstances, you're right. I would have done something. But these aren't normal circumstances, and I can't just ask him to get dinner sometime."  
Cautiously, Tessa asked, "Why can't you, Magnus?"

Standing still, face tilted towards the ground, he whispered, "Because he's my student."

Despite how quiet Magnus's confession had been, Tessa had heard. Though her heart beat wildly, knowing how much trouble Magnus could get into, she merely responded with an, "Oh?"

Magnus collapsed back into the chair, his head in his hands, "I don't know how it happened, Tessa. Yet, I still find myself thinking of him, of calculating the age difference, and wondering really, how bad it would it be?" Before Tessa could answer, he added, "And I know, it would be bad. Very bad."  
"Charlotte would have your head. Then she would fire you." Tess agreed.

"I know," Magnus groaned.

Tentatively, she asked the question that Magnus had been waiting to hear, "And...who is it?"

The name came out in a pained breath, "Alec Lightwood. It's Alec Lightwood."

The two sat in a tense silence; Tessa mulling over the information that Magnus had handed her and Magnus regretting his decision to tell her.

Finally, Tessa whispered, "What are you going to do?"

Magnus laughed bitterly, the words coming out clipped and harsh, "The only thing I can do. Ignore my feelings."


End file.
